ABSTRACT
Diastasis Recti Abdominis (DRA) has been defined as an impairment characterized by the separation of the two rectus abdominis muscles along the linea alba. This increased Inter Rectus Distance (IRD) may be present congenitally, but most commonly develops during pregnancy and in the early postpartum period (Coldron Y, 2008). Ultrasound imaging has recently been suggested as an useful method to evaluate morphology (Whittaker JL, 2011; Koppenhaver SL, 2009), assess muscular geometry and as an indirect measure of muscle activation via changes in muscle thickness. Recently, one study found ultrasound imaging to be a reliable method for measuring IRD (Mota P, 2012). However the accurate interpretation of ultrasound imaging data collection depends upon maintaining a relatively stationary transducer position during an imaging study, as transducer motion can distort the image and lead to erroneous conclusions (Whittaker JL, 2011; Whittaker JL, 2010; Klimstra M, 2007). No information exists in literature about the best alignment for ultrasound transducer during IRD measurement. Nevertheless a recent systematic review (Kwah LK, 2013) provides some information about measurement of muscle fascicle lengths and pennation angles that could be extrapolated for IRD measurements. Benard & Becher (2009) showed that muscle fascicle lengths and pennation angles could
Abdominal crunch has been considered a risk exercise for development of diastasis recti (Blanchard PD, 2005) but it has also been used to assess abdominal muscle strength and endurance in women during postpartum, and it is also the position to asses IRD by palpation. Lately core training with the drawing-in exercise has been recommended both in the general population and during pregnancy and after childbirth.
