Proprioception and Control of the Lumbopelvic in Women with and without Diastasis Rectus and Their Relationship with Postpartum Pain and Disability

Increase in the inter-recti abdominal muscle during pregnancy and postpartum is called diastasis rectus abdominis. Usually this distance must be more than 20 mm above the umbilicus and 25 mm in the umbilicus to be diagnosed. The prevalence of this disorder in women after postpartum is 66%. Due to the instability of the spine and pelvis in these individuals, impairment in proprioception and lumbopelvic control can be the causes of lumbar pain and disability. Thus, the present research was conducted to study the proprioception and lumbopelvic control in women with and without diastasis rectus and their relationship with postpartum pain and disability.

A total of 18 healthy persons, with the mean age of 25/77±4/55 years, and 18 patients with diastasis rectus, with the mean age of 28/88±5/69 years, with 2-3 years passed since their delivery, were recruited. The amount of error in the reconstruction of the lumbar position was measured using a goniometer with the eye closed while standing at a 30° angle of lumbar flexion and lumbo-pelvic control with lateral step down field test. The results of the tests were calculated and analyzed.

Mean error in 30° angle lumbar flexion reconstruction in patients with diastasis rectus was significantly higher than that in the healthy group (P <0.05). Also, in lateral step down test, there was a significant difference between healthy groups and patients suffering from this disorder (P <0.05).

The results of the present study showed that diastasis rectus causes problems in women with this problem, like disorder in proprioception and lumbopelvic control, which may lead to low back pain and disability.