Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) refers to the separation of the 2 recti abdominis muscles, and is quantified by the inter-recti distance (IRD). DRA can occur in women at the later stages of pregnancy 4,11 and remain immediately 4,8,16 and early postpartum. 4,6,9,11,16 Published case reports indicate a partial resolution of the DRA at 4 weeks, 11 8 weeks, 11 or 12 weeks postpartum. 16 Coldron et al 9 also reported that most of the recovery of IRD occurred by 8 weeks. 9 No further improvement was noted at the end of the first year, 9 suggesting that partial recovery of DRA happens after childbirth but is incomplete even after 1 year.The linea alba, separating the 2 recti abdominis, is a fibrous raphe extending from the xiphoid process to the pubic symphysis, and is formed by the interlacing aponeurotic fibers of the oblique and transverse muscles. 2,30 DRA, in pregnant women, might result from progressive stretching of the abdominal wall with T T STUDY DESIGN: A prospective longitudinal study. T T BACKGROUND: Diastasis recti abdominis(DRA) is defined as an increase in the inter-recti distance (IRD), or width of the linea alba. It is a common occurrence in women postpartum. Little information exists on the short-and long-term recovery of IRD and the relationship between changes in IRD and the functional performance of the abdominal muscles. T T OBJECTIVES:To investigate the natural recovery of IRD and abdominal muscle strength and endurance in women between 7 weeks and 6 months postpartum, and to examine the relationship between IRD and abdominal muscle function. T T METHODS:Forty postpartum (25-37 years of age) and 20 age-matched, nulliparous females participated. IRD was measured at 4 locations (upper and lower margin of the umbilical ring, and 2.5 cm above and below the umbilical ring) with a 7.5-MHz linear ultrasound transducer. Trunk flexion and rotation strength and endurance were measured with manual muscle testing and curl-ups. Evaluation was conducted at 4 to 8 weeks and 6 to 8 months after childbirth in postpartum women, and only once for the nulliparous female controls. T T RESULTS:During follow-up, the IRD at 2.5 cm above the umbilical ring and at the upper margin of the umbilical ring decreased (P = .013 and P = .002, respectively). The strength and static endurance of the abdominal muscles improved over time (P<.05). A negative correlation between IRD and abdominal muscle function at 7 weeks and 6 months postpartum was found (r = 0.34 to 0.51; P<.05, except for trunk flexion strength at 6 months postpartum [P = .064]). In addition, IRD changes between 7 weeks and 6 months postpartum were correlated with improvement in trunk flexion strength (Spearman rho = 0.38, P = .040). At 6 months after childbirth, postpartum women had greater mean  SD IRDs at all 4 locations (from cranial to caudal: 1.80  0.72, 2.13  0.65, 1.81  0.62, and 1.16  0.58 cm) than those of nulliparous females (0.85  0.26, 0.99  0.31, 0.65  0.23, and 0.43  0.17 cm) (all P<.001). All abdominal strength and endurance measurements...

Osteoporosis is one of the most common skeletal disorders affecting postmenopausal women. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a 24-week program of aerobic high-impact loading exercise was beneficial for enhancing physical fitness and bone mineral density (BMD) in osteopenic postmenopausal women. Forty-three postmenopausal women aged 48-65 years participated in this study. The BMD of the spine (L2-L4) and right femoral neck of each woman was below 1 SD of the mean of premenopausal women, as examined by dual X-ray absorptiometry. The assignment of subjects into exercise or control group was not randomized but based on each subject's anticipated compliance to the 6-month long exercise program. Twenty-two subjects joined the exercise group and attended the training programs and 21 served as the control group. Exercise programs included treadmill walking at an intensity above 70% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) for 30 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of stepping exercise using a 20-cm-high bench. The program was conducted three times per week for 24 weeks. Physical fitness measurements included testing of flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, and cardiopulmonary fitness. The results showed that the quadriceps strength, muscular endurance, and VO2max in the exercise group had significant improvements, whereas no improvement was found in any of the physical fitness parameters in the control group. The BMD of the L2-L4 and the femoral neck in the exercise group increased 2.0% (P > 0.05) and 6.8% (P < 0.05) and those in the control group decreased 2.3% (P < 0.05) and 1.5% (P > 0.05), respectively. In conclusion, aerobics combined with high-impact exercise at a moderate intensity was effective in offsetting the decline in BMD in osteopenic postmenopausal women.

Subjects who trained with augmented feedback had less variability, and thus more consistency, than the control group subjects who received no feedback. Augmented feedback provides the student with a reference force and the status of his or her performance. The effectiveness of the JTS feedback compared with no feedback was clearly demonstrated. Skill acquisition in mobilization can be enhanced by either concurrent or terminal feedback.

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[Purpose] To explore the differences in bilateral trunk muscle activation between chronic stroke patients and healthy controls, this study investigated the symmetry index and cross-correlation of trunk muscles during trunk flexion and extension movements. This study also assessed the differences in trunk reposition error between groups and the association between trunk reposition error and bilateral trunk muscle activation. [Subjects and Methods] Fifteen stroke patients and 15 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects participated. Bilateral trunk muscle activations were collected by electromyography during trunk flexion and extension. Trunk reposition errors in trunk flexion and extension directions were recorded by a Qualisys motion capture system. [Results] Compared with the healthy controls, the stroke patients presented lower symmetrical muscle activation of the bilateral internal oblique and lower cross-correlation of abdominal muscles during trunk flexion, and lower symmetry index and cross-correlation of erector spinae in trunk extension. They also showed a larger trunk extension reposition error. A smaller trunk reposition error was associated with higher cross-correlation of bilateral trunk muscles during trunk movements in all subjects. [Conclusion] Trunk muscle function during symmetrical trunk movements and trunk reposition sense were impaired in the chronic stroke patients, and trunk position sense was associated with trunk muscle functions. Future studies should pay attention to symmetrical trunk movements as well as trunk extension position sense for patients with chronic stroke.

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