Fuentes-Aparicio Laura, Pérez-Alenda Sofia, Carrasco Juan J, Valls-Donderis Begoña, Dueñas Lirios, Balasch-Bernat Mercè
Physiotherapy in Motion, Multi-Speciality Research Group (PTinMOTION), Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Department of Physical Education and Sports, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Phys Ther. 2024 Dec 6;104(12). doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzae141.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences between primiparous and multiparous women at 6 months postpartum and nulliparous women regarding the thickness (including thickness pattern) and contractile function of the abdominal and lumbar muscles.
A cross-sectional observational study of 80 women, both primiparous (n = 29) and multiparous (n = 25), as well as including nulliparous as a comparison group (n = 26), was conducted. B-mode ultrasound imaging was used for the measurement of abdominal and lumbar muscle thickness in two conditions (resting and activation). Moreover, the contractile function of these muscles was determined by the thickness ratio.
Significant differences between groups were observed in abdominal muscle thickness. During activation, the obliques showed a lower thickness in both groups of postpartum women compared to nulliparous women, while lower values for the thickness for the transverse abdominis (TrA) were only observed in primiparous women. The thickness pattern observed in nulliparous women both in resting and in activation (internal oblique [IO] > external oblique [EO] > TrA) was also achieved among postpartum women, despite no statistical differences observed between IO and EO in these groups. No significant differences between groups were observed for contractile function, showing the TrA greater values, followed by IO and EO in both nulliparous and postpartum women.
This study suggests that the thickness (and the thickness pattern) of the abdominal muscles in women at 6 months postpartum differs from nulliparous, while for the lumbar muscles, it is comparable to nulliparous. However, despite the obliques being thinner in postpartum women, the abdominal muscles are functionally competent.
This is believed to be the first study to compare abdominal and lumbar muscles thickness and contractile function specifically between primiparous and multiparous women. Although at 6 months' postpartum abdominal thickness differs from nulliparous women, these muscles are functionally competent. These findings provide valuable insights for use in the development of postpartum interventions.
本研究旨在评估初产妇和经产妇产后6个月时腹部和腰部肌肉厚度（包括厚度模式）及收缩功能与未产妇之间的差异。
对80名女性进行横断面观察性研究，其中初产妇（n = 29）、经产妇（n = 25），并将未产妇作为对照组（n = 26）。采用B超成像在两种状态（静息和激活）下测量腹部和腰部肌肉厚度。此外，通过厚度比确定这些肌肉的收缩功能。
观察到各组之间腹部肌肉厚度存在显著差异。在激活状态下，与未产妇相比，两组产后女性的腹外斜肌厚度均较低，而仅在初产妇中观察到腹横肌（TrA）厚度较低。未产妇在静息和激活状态下观察到的厚度模式（腹内斜肌[IO]＞腹外斜肌[EO]＞TrA）在产后女性中也存在，尽管这些组中IO和EO之间未观察到统计学差异。各组之间在收缩功能方面未观察到显著差异，在未产妇和产后女性中均显示TrA值最大，其次是IO和EO。
本研究表明，产后6个月女性腹部肌肉的厚度（和厚度模式）与未产妇不同，而腰部肌肉与未产妇相当。然而，尽管产后女性的腹外斜肌较薄，但腹部肌肉功能正常。
据信这是第一项专门比较初产妇和经产妇腹部和腰部肌肉厚度及收缩功能的研究。尽管产后6个月腹部厚度与未产妇不同，但这些肌肉功能正常。这些发现为产后干预措施的制定提供了有价值的见解。
