Lin Ziling, Hou Yanjun, Chen Xueling, Liu Yanping, Wang Xiangbin
College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Key Laboratory of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Rehabilitation Ministry of Education, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Front Physiol. 2025 Jan 6;15:1506553. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1506553. eCollection 2024.
Lumbo-pelvic-hip complex muscle training is considered a crucial component of exercise rehabilitation for postpartum women with pelvic girdle pain (PGP). However, there is a paucity of research evidence regarding the morphological changes and contraction function of these muscles in postpartum women with PGP. Understanding the alterations in lumbo-pelvic-hip complex muscles function associated with PGP, is crucial for tailoring effective rehabilitation strategies and promoting optimal postpartum recovery. Therefore, this study aims to compare the differences in muscle thickness and contraction function of lumbo-pelvic-hip complex muscle between postpartum women with PGP and asymptomatic controls using ultrasound imaging.
One hundred and fifty postpartum women with PGP and fifty age-matched asymptomatic postpartum women were recruited in this study. Real-time musculoskeletal ultrasound was utilized to measure the resting muscle thickness of nine lumbo-pelvic-hip complex muscles, including the erector spinalis (ES), latissimus dorsi (LD), quadratus lumbalis (QL), gluteus maximus (GMax), gluteus medius (GMed), piriformis (PF), iliacus muscle (IM), rectus femoris (RF), and biceps femoris (BF). The thickness of the GMax, GMed, RF, and BF muscles were measured at maximum contraction to calculate a contraction: rest ratio.
Compared to the asymptomatic women, those with PGP exhibited reduced resting thickness of the ES and GMax muscles bilaterally, as well as increased resting thickness of the right LD and IM muscles. Furthermore, the PGP group demonstrated decreased thickness of the left GMed and right RF muscles at maximum contraction. The contraction ratio was also diminished for the GMax muscles bilaterally, left GMed, and right RF in women with postpartum PGP. Conclusion: Postpartum women with PGP demonstrated reduced thickness, asymmetry, and diminished contractility of the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex muscles. Exercise prescriptions for postpartum women with PGP should incorporate targeted strengthening of the ES, GMax, GMed, and RF muscles.
Postpartum women with PGP demonstrated reduced thickness, asymmetry, and diminished contractility of the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex muscle. Exercise prescriptions for postpartum women with PGP should incorporate targeted strengthening of the ES, GMax, GMed, and RF muscles.
腰-骨盆-髋关节复合体肌肉训练被认为是产后骨盆带疼痛（PGP）女性运动康复的关键组成部分。然而，关于PGP产后女性这些肌肉的形态变化和收缩功能的研究证据匮乏。了解与PGP相关的腰-骨盆-髋关节复合体肌肉功能的改变，对于制定有效的康复策略和促进产后最佳恢复至关重要。因此，本研究旨在使用超声成像比较PGP产后女性与无症状对照组之间腰-骨盆-髋关节复合体肌肉厚度和收缩功能的差异。
本研究招募了150名患有PGP的产后女性和50名年龄匹配的无症状产后女性。利用实时肌肉骨骼超声测量九块腰-骨盆-髋关节复合体肌肉的静息肌肉厚度，包括竖脊肌（ES）、背阔肌（LD）、腰方肌（QL）、臀大肌（GMax）、臀中肌（GMed）、梨状肌（PF）、髂肌（IM）、股直肌（RF）和股二头肌（BF）。在最大收缩时测量GMax、GMed、RF和BF肌肉的厚度，以计算收缩：静息比。
与无症状女性相比，患有PGP的女性双侧ES和GMax肌肉的静息厚度降低，右侧LD和IM肌肉的静息厚度增加。此外，PGP组在最大收缩时左侧GMed和右侧RF肌肉的厚度降低。产后PGP女性双侧GMax肌肉、左侧GMed和右侧RF的收缩比也降低。结论：患有PGP的产后女性腰-骨盆-髋关节复合体肌肉厚度降低、不对称且收缩力减弱。患有PGP的产后女性的运动处方应包括针对性地加强ES、GMax、GMed和RF肌肉。
患有PGP的产后女性腰-骨盆-髋关节复合体肌肉厚度降低、不对称且收缩力减弱。患有PGP的产后女性的运动处方应包括针对性地加强ES、GMax、GMed和RF肌肉。
