Evaluation of the efficiency of physical exercises for the elimination of diastasis of the rectus abdominal muscles in postpartum women

Increased pressure on the muscles of the abdominal wall during pregnancy can often cause thinning and expansion of the white line of the abdomen, which is considered diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles. Aim - evaluation of the functional consequences and influence of physical exercises on diastasis of rectus abdominis muscles. Materials and methods. We analyzed 54 patients who were diagnosed with diastasis recti during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. 26 women (the main group) after childbirth underwent a six-month rehabilitation program aimed at reducing diastasis (on average from the first to the seventh month after childbirth), 28 women (the control group) did not undergo a rehabilitation program after the birth of a child. Assessment of systemic complaints related to ventral hernia was carried out using a specialized questionnaire VHPQ (Ventral Hernia Pain Questionnaire), which allowed to assess the quality of daily activities. Statistical processing of the material was carried out using the Excel 11 program The results were considered probable when the probability ratio was less than or equal to 0.05. The odds ratio was estimated, the confidence interval was set at 95% and defined as ±1.96 standard error. Results. A statistically significant decrease in the width of the white line was observed in women of both groups 7-8 months after childbirth. Among patients of the main group, this was observed in 73.1% (19 people), and in the control group - in 64.3% (18 people), without a statistically significant difference between the groups. Conservative therapy of diastasis recti of the abdominal muscles made it possible to statistically significantly improve the quality of life of women after childbirth. Conclusions. In 64.3% of women in the postpartum period, diastasis of rectus abdominis muscles resolves itself within 7-8 months and does not require treatment. A course of six-month physical rehabilitation makes it possible to raise this indicator to 73.1% unreliably. Conservative therapy of diastasis recti of the abdominal muscles in women in the postpartum period allows a statistically significant improvement in the quality of life of patients. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The research protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the institution mentioned in the work. Informed consent of the women was obtained for the research. The authors declare no conflict of interest.