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BMC Surgery Aug 2016Symptoms arising from giant ventral hernia have been considered to be related to weakening of the abdominal muscles. The aim of this study was to investigate the... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Symptoms arising from giant ventral hernia have been considered to be related to weakening of the abdominal muscles. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the area of the abdominal wall defect and abdominal wall muscle strength measured by the validated BioDex system together with a back/abdominal unit.
METHODS
Fifty-two patients with giant ventral hernia (>10 cm wide) underwent CT scan, clinical measurement of hernia size and BioDex measurement of muscle strength prior to surgery. The areas of the hernia derived from CT scan and from clinical measurement were compared with BioDex forces in the modalities extension, flexion and isometric contraction. The Spearman rank test was used to calculate correlations between area, BMI, gender, age, and muscle strength.
RESULT
The hernia area calculated from clinical measurements correlated to abdominal muscle strength measured with the Biodex for all modalities (p-values 0.015-0.036), whereas no correlation was seen with the area calculated by CT scan. No relationship was seen between BMI, gender, age and the area of the hernia.
DISCUSSION
The inverse correlation between BioDex abdominal muscle strength and clinically assessed hernia area, seen in all modalities, was so robust that it seems safe to conclude that the area of the hernia is an important determinant of the degree of loss of abdominal muscle strength. Results using hernia area calculated from the CT scan showed no such correlation and this would seem to concur with the results from a previous study by our group on patients with abdominal rectus diastasis. In that study, defect size assessed clinically, but not that measured by CT scan, was in agreement with the size of the diastasis measured intra-operatively. The point at which the area of a hernia begins to correlate with loss of abdominal wall muscle strength remains unknown since this study only included giant ventral hernias.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Abdominal Wall; Adult; Aged; Female; Hernia, Ventral; Herniorrhaphy; Humans; Isometric Contraction; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Strength; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 27484911
DOI: 10.1186/s12893-016-0166-x -
Scientific Reports Jul 2023We aimed to assess the effects of interaction between several breathing patterns and postures on abdominal muscle activation and intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). This...
We aimed to assess the effects of interaction between several breathing patterns and postures on abdominal muscle activation and intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). This comparative cross-sectional study enrolled fourteen healthy university students majoring in sports science and/or physical education. They performed four active breathing tasks: quiet nasal breathing (Q-Bre), nasal deep breathing (Deep-Bre), completely forced expiration (Forced-Expi), and exertional nasal inhalation with abdominal muscles with isometric contraction (Exertion-Inspi) in the elbow-toe plank and supine postures. Breathing volume; IAP; and transverse abdominis-internal oblique muscle (TrA-IO) and external oblique muscle (EO) activities were recorded. Abdominal muscle activity and IAP significantly interacted with breathing pattern and postures during the expiratory phase (p < 0.05). In the inspiratory phase, TrA-IO activity was significantly affected by breathing pattern and EO activity with posture (p < 0.05). TrA-IO activity significantly increased during Forced-Expi in the supine posture (47.6% of the maximum voluntary contraction) and Exertion-Inspi in the elbow-toe posture (35.7%), whereas no differences were found during Deep-Bre or Q-Bre (< 20%). EO activity increased in the elbow-toe posture (22.5-30.6%) compared with that in the supine posture (< 5%) during all breathing tasks. IAP values were low during all tasks (< 15%) except for Forced-Expi (24.9%). Abdominal muscle activation and IAP interacted with the breathing pattern and posture.
Topics: Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Electromyography; Abdominal Muscles; Posture; Respiration; Muscle Contraction
PubMed: 37443166
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37629-5 -
Anesthesiology May 2021The lateral abdominal wall muscles are recruited with active expiration, as may occur with high breathing effort, inspiratory muscle weakness, or pulmonary... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
The lateral abdominal wall muscles are recruited with active expiration, as may occur with high breathing effort, inspiratory muscle weakness, or pulmonary hyperinflation. The effects of critical illness and mechanical ventilation on these muscles are unknown. This study aimed to assess the reproducibility of expiratory muscle (i.e., lateral abdominal wall muscles and rectus abdominis muscle) ultrasound and the impact of tidal volume on expiratory muscle thickness, to evaluate changes in expiratory muscle thickness during mechanical ventilation, and to compare this to changes in diaphragm thickness.
METHODS
Two raters assessed the interrater and intrarater reproducibility of expiratory muscle ultrasound (n = 30) and the effect of delivered tidal volume on expiratory muscle thickness (n = 10). Changes in the thickness of the expiratory muscles and the diaphragm were assessed in 77 patients with at least two serial ultrasound measurements in the first week of mechanical ventilation.
RESULTS
The reproducibility of the measurements was excellent (interrater intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.994 [95% CI, 0.987 to 0.997]; intrarater intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.992 [95% CI, 0.957 to 0.998]). Expiratory muscle thickness decreased by 3.0 ± 1.7% (mean ± SD) with tidal volumes of 481 ± 64 ml (P < 0.001). The thickness of the expiratory muscles remained stable in 51 of 77 (66%), decreased in 17 of 77 (22%), and increased in 9 of 77 (12%) patients. Reduced thickness resulted from loss of muscular tissue, whereas increased thickness mainly resulted from increased interparietal fasciae thickness. Changes in thickness of the expiratory muscles were not associated with changes in the thickness of the diaphragm (R2 = 0.013; P = 0.332).
CONCLUSIONS
Thickness measurement of the expiratory muscles by ultrasound has excellent reproducibility. Changes in the thickness of the expiratory muscles occurred in 34% of patients and were unrelated to changes in diaphragm thickness. Increased expiratory muscle thickness resulted from increased thickness of the fasciae.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Exhalation; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Netherlands; Observer Variation; Prospective Studies; Rectus Abdominis; Reproducibility of Results; Respiration, Artificial; Respiratory Muscles; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 33711154
DOI: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000003736 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) May 2020: Possible disorders after delivery may interfere with the quality of life. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether abdominal muscles and fasciae differ in women...
: Possible disorders after delivery may interfere with the quality of life. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether abdominal muscles and fasciae differ in women depending on whether they experienced transverse cesarean section (CS) or vaginal delivery (VA) in comparison with healthy nulliparous (NU). : The thicknesses of abdominal muscles and fasciae were evaluated by ultrasound in 13 CS, 10 VA, and 13 NU women (we examined rectus abdominis (RA); external oblique (EO); internal oblique (IO); transversus abdominis (TrA); total abdominal muscles (TAM = EO + IO + TrA); inter-rectus distance (IRD); thickness of linea alba (TLA); rectus sheath (RS), which includes anterior fascia of RS and posterior fascia of RS (P-RS); loose connective tissue between sublayers of P-RS (LCT); abdominal perimuscular fasciae (APF), which includes anterior fascia of EO, fasciae between EO, IO, and TrA, and posterior fascia of TrA). Data on pain intensity, duration, and location were collected. : Compared with NU women, CS women had wider IRD ( = 0.004), thinner left RA ( = 0.020), thicker right RS ( = 0.035) and APF (left: = 0.001; right: = 0.001), and IO dissymmetry ( = 0.009). VA women had thinner RA (left: = 0.008, right: = 0.043) and left TAM ( = 0.024), mainly due to left IO ( = 0.027) and RA dissymmetry ( = 0.035). However, CS women had thicker LCT (left: = 0.036, right: < 0.001), APF (left: = 0.014; right: = 0.007), and right IO ( = 0.028) than VA women. There were significant correlations between pain duration and the affected fasciae/muscles in CS women. : CS women showed significant alterations in both abdominal fasciae and muscle thicknesses, whereas VA women showed alterations mainly in muscles. Thinner RA and/or dissymmetric IO, wider IRD, and thicker LCT and APF after CS may cause muscle deficits and alteration of fascial gliding, which may induce scar, abdominal, low back, and/or pelvic pain.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adult; Cesarean Section; Fascia; Female; Humans; Labor, Obstetric; Middle Aged; Pregnancy; Surveys and Questionnaires; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 32471194
DOI: 10.3390/medicina56060260 -
Reproductive Sciences (Thousand Oaks,... Aug 2017Patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA), used to relieve pain during delivery, delays labor but the mechanism is unknown. The aim was to investigate the effects of...
OBJECTIVE
Patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA), used to relieve pain during delivery, delays labor but the mechanism is unknown. The aim was to investigate the effects of PCEA on uterine and abdominal muscles electromyographic (EMG) activity during the second stage of labor.
METHODS
This study included 45 nulliparous pregnant women without PCEA, 42 women with standard PCEA treatment given during the first stage of labor and stopped near the end of the first stage, and 22 women with standard PCEA treatment with continued use throughout the first and second stages of labor. The EMG signals were recorded from the abdominal surface using PowerLab hardware and LabChart software (ADInstruments, New South Wales, Australia) and filtered to separate uterine and abdominal EMG. Various EMG burst parameters were obtained.
RESULTS
There are no differences ( P > .05) in the age, body mass index, fetal weight, and Apgar scores between the patients from the various groups. PCEA (both stopped and continued) inhibits ( P < .05) duration, number of bursts, and root mean square of uterine EMG. PCEA also produces statistically significant ( P < .001) reductions in abdominal EMG. The decrease in EMG activity is accompanied by a significant ( P < .001) prolongation of the second stage duration (PCEA continued = 95.08 ± 8.60 minutes, PCEA stopped = 79.39 ± 6.25 minutes, no PCEA = 61.00 ± 7.23 minutes).
CONCLUSION
PCEA suppresses uterine and abdominal muscle EMG during the second stage of labor but inhibition depends upon the treatment schedule. PCEA prolongs the duration of labor by inhibition of uterine and abdominal muscle and neural activity.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adult; Analgesia, Epidural; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; Anesthetics, Local; Electromyography; Female; Humans; Labor Stage, Second; Myometrium; Pregnancy
PubMed: 28715964
DOI: 10.1177/1933719116682875 -
Journal of Biomechanics Dec 2023Pain in the lower part of the back is one of the most common chronic illnesses globally. This work aimed to determine the impact of the reinforcement of particular...
Pain in the lower part of the back is one of the most common chronic illnesses globally. This work aimed to determine the impact of the reinforcement of particular groups of abdominal and dorsal muscles on the loads exerted on the lumbar section of the spine in 30 mothers of children with motor disabilities. An optical Ariel Performance Analysis System recorded and processed the kinematics data of everyday activities. Tests investigating the effects of the strengthening or weakening of abdominal and dorsal muscles on loading in the lumbar section of the spine utilized the AnyBody Modelling System. Input data for the simulations included mean values of body positions, while the effects of strengthening or weakening of muscles were simulated in the muscle forces model by introducing different values for muscle physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA). Simulations used decreasing or increasing PCSA values of abdominal muscles and the erector spinae. The analysis involved component and resultant force values on the lumbosacral joint (L5-S1) of the spine and intra-abdominal pressure values. The highest reduction of the resultant reaction value in L5-S1 was observed in the simulations that increased the PCSA of the transverse abdominal (TrA). Indeed, a double increase in the TrA cross-section caused a reduction of the resultant reaction in L5-S1 by 30% and the anterior-posterior and proximal-distal forces by approximately 20-30%. Increased PCSA of the erector spinae exerted higher loads on the spine. These results indicate that strengthening weakened abdominal muscles, particularly TrA, in parents of children with motor disabilities reduces lower spinal loads during daily activities.
Topics: Child; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae; Disabled Children; Spine; Abdominal Muscles; Abdomen; Parents; Biomechanical Phenomena
PubMed: 37976939
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111864 -
Neuroscience Research Jan 2022Abdominal muscles are involved in respiration and locomotion. In the isolated pons-spinal cord-rib attached preparation from neonatal rat, the phrenic nerve and...
Abdominal muscles are involved in respiration and locomotion. In the isolated pons-spinal cord-rib attached preparation from neonatal rat, the phrenic nerve and abdominal muscles show inspiratory and expiratory activity, respectively. Using this preparation, we investigated whether the bath application of NMDA and 5-HT could evoke locomotor activities in the fourth cervical ventral root (C4VR), phrenic nerve, and abdominal muscle nerve (ilioinguinal nerve, IIG-n). We also observed rib and abdominal muscle movements visually. The phrenic nerve and C4VR showed inspiratory activity consistently under the control conditions, whereas IIG-n showed expiratory activity only at the beginning of the experiment. During the chemically-induced locomotion, both C4VR and IIG-n showed locomotor activity, and IIG-n in particular showed flexor activity. During the flexor activity, lateral bending of the rib cage to the recording site was observed. The phrenic nerve showed weak or no apparent locomotor activity. We concluded that the central pattern generator (CPG) for locomotion provides stronger excitatory synaptic inputs to C4 motoneurons innervating neck and shoulder muscles than the inputs to the phrenic motoneurons. Thus, the locomotor CPG provides a suitable amount of inputs to the functionally proper motoneurons. This preparation will be useful to explore how the respiratory and locomotor CPGs select proper motoneurons to give synaptic inputs and are coordinated with each other.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Locomotion; N-Methylaspartate; Phrenic Nerve; Rats; Serotonin; Spinal Cord
PubMed: 34324893
DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2021.07.004 -
Journal of Electromyography and... Oct 2018Abdominal exercise has been advocated to improve the protection of the spine and neuromuscular efficiency of the limb movements. The purpose of this study was to examine...
Abdominal exercise has been advocated to improve the protection of the spine and neuromuscular efficiency of the limb movements. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of enhanced contraction of internal oblique and transversus abdominis (IO/TrA) on the activity level of the hip and posterior thigh muscles during therapeutic hip exercises. Twenty healthy females were required to perform eight hip exercises under two conditions, natural versus enhanced IO/TrA contraction conditions. Muscle activity of gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, tensor fasciae latae and biceps femoris of the exercising leg was measured by surface electromyography during hip exercises, and expressed in percentage normalized to the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). The activity levels of the gluteal and posterior thigh muscles recorded under natural and enhanced IO/TrA conditions were compared. IO/TrA was found to have activated at the range of 2.7%-16.1% and 6.3%-24.1% of MVIC when hip exercises were executed under natural and enhanced conditions respectively. Enhanced IO/TrA contraction resulted in significantly greater activity in gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and bicep femoris at various phases of hip extension and clam exercises, single leg sit-to-stand and pelvic drop exercise (increased by 1.7-7.2% of MVIC). These findings indicate the presence of coactivation of the abdominal and hip muscles when performing the free active hip exercises. Further studies are recommended to investigate the efficacy of this muscle coactivation in improving the clinical outcome of therapeutic hip exercises.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adult; Exercise; Exercise Therapy; Female; Hip Joint; Humans; Isometric Contraction; Lower Extremity; Male; Middle Aged
PubMed: 29909357
DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2018.06.005 -
Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology Apr 2017This study aims to evaluate the effect of different postures on the abdominal muscle activity during breathing in subjects "at risk" for the development of chronic...
This study aims to evaluate the effect of different postures on the abdominal muscle activity during breathing in subjects "at risk" for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and healthy. Twenty-nine volunteers, divided in "At Risk" for COPD (n=16; 47.38±5.08years) and Healthy (n=13; 47.54±6.65years) groups, breathed at the same rhythm in supine, standing, tripod and 4-point-kneeling positions. Surface electromyography was performed to assess the activation intensity of rectus abdominis, external oblique and transversus abdominis/internal oblique (TrA/IO) muscles, during inspiration and expiration. From supine to standing, an increased activation of all abdominal muscles was observed in "At Risk" for COPD group; however, in Healthy group, TrA/IO muscle showed an increased activation. In both groups, the TrA/IO muscle activation in tripod and 4-point kneeling positions was higher than in supine and lower than in standing. Subjects "at risk" for the development of COPD seemed to have a specific recruitment of the superficial layer of ventrolateral abdominal wall for the synchronization of postural function and mechanics of breathing.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Electromyography; Evoked Potentials, Motor; Female; Humans; Isometric Contraction; Male; Maximal Respiratory Pressures; Middle Aged; Plethysmography; Posture; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Respiration; Vital Capacity
PubMed: 28082171
DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2017.01.001 -
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine &... Feb 2018The aims of this study were to research the amplitude and median frequency characteristics of selected abdominal, back, and hip muscles of healthy subjects during a...
The aims of this study were to research the amplitude and median frequency characteristics of selected abdominal, back, and hip muscles of healthy subjects during a prone bridging endurance test, based on surface electromyography (sEMG), (a) to determine if the prone bridging test is a valid field test to measure abdominal muscle fatigue, and (b) to evaluate if the current method of administrating the prone bridging test is reliable. Thirty healthy subjects participated in this experiment. The sEMG activity of seven abdominal, back, and hip muscles was bilaterally measured. Normalized median frequencies were computed from the EMG power spectra. The prone bridging tests were repeated on separate days to evaluate inter and intratester reliability. Significant differences in normalized median frequency slope (NMF ) values between several abdominal, back, and hip muscles could be demonstrated. Moderate-to-high correlation coefficients were shown between NMF values and endurance time. Multiple backward linear regression revealed that the test endurance time could only be significantly predicted by the NMF of the rectus abdominis. Statistical analysis showed excellent reliability (ICC=0.87-0.89). The findings of this study support the validity and reliability of the prone bridging test for evaluating abdominal muscle fatigue.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adult; Back Muscles; Electromyography; Exercise Test; Female; Hip; Humans; Male; Muscle Fatigue; Prone Position; Reproducibility of Results; Young Adult
PubMed: 28544083
DOI: 10.1111/sms.12919