Informatics Publishing Limited

Gandhali Situt ¹, Suraj Kanase ²

Affiliations
1 Intern, Krishna College of Physiotherapy, Deemed to be University, Karad (Malkapur) − 415539, Maharashtra, IN
2 Department of Neurosciences, Krishna College of Physiotherapy, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Deemed to be University, Karad (Malkapur) − 415539, Maharashtra, IN

Abstract

The release of hormones like relaxin and estrogen occur during the gestational period and the fetal growth takes place which expands the uterus resulting in increased pressure against the abdominal wall. This causes stretching of the connective tissue, linea alba and as the weeks proceed the fetal growth occurs more and more rapidly resulting in further stretching of the connective tissue and the abdominal muscles causing an eventual decrease contraction strength weakening of muscles and can lead to a separation and widening of the space between the two rectus abdomen is muscles known as Diastasis of Recti Abdominis Muscles (DRAM). Diastasis recti is thus most common during pregnancy having a prevalence of 100% at gestational week 35 and can lead to various secondary problems like low back pain, shallow breathing and pelvic region pain. Though it is the most commonly occurring condition, it might not be painful in most cases initially and thus goes unnoticed and untreated. Purpose of the study was to compare the effects of NeuroMuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) and Kinesiotaping along with core stabilization exercises on diastasis recti in postnatal women, in terms of inter recti distance, abdominal muscle strength and low back pain. A total of 40 women with significant diastasis recti, 6 weeks postnatal, participated in the study. They were equally divided with random selection of 20 subjects in two groups each, Group A was treated with NMES and Group B received Kinesiotaping and both the groups in addition received core stabilization exercises. The results revealed very significant improvement in both the groups in all the measured parameters, (p<0.05). However, the intergroup comparisons showed significant improvement in all the measured parameters in group A (p<0.05). Thus, the study concluded that NMES along with core stabilization exercises is effective in recovery of diastasis recti and increasing abdominal muscle strengthas well as improvement in its complications like low back pain.

Keywords

Core Stabilization Exercises, Diastasis Recti, Inter Recti Distance, Kinesiotaping, Low Back Pain, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation.

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