None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Diastasis of the rectus abdominis following pregnancy is a common and potentially disabling condition that may lead to herniation of abdominal contents, increased risk of uterine prolapse and back pain during tasks of daily function that involve lifting type activities. We are investigating whether wearing an elastic support garment or a firmer more rigid support belt from immediately after delivery for an 8 week period is more effective in treating this condition. Women with a diastasis within 3 days of giving birth will be invited to participate, one group will be provided with an elastic support garment, and another group with a more supportive belt. We will then follow them up after 8 weeks to determine which type of garment is more effective in reducing the size of the diastasis.
Interventions
Women up to 3 days postnatally at Auckland City Hospital and Birthcare Auckland will be checked using ultrasound for the presence of a Rectus Abdominis Diastasis. Those with this condition will be randomised into two groups and given one of two types of support garment.
Group 1: will be given a postnatal belly belt - Belly Bandit bamboo, to wear for 8 weeks postnatally.
Group 2: will be given a piece of size L tubigrip to wear around their abdomen for 8 weeks postnatally.
The support garment
Women up to 3 days postnatally at Auckland City Hospital and Birthcare Auckland will be checked using ultrasound for the presence of a Rectus Abdominis Diastasis. Those with this condition will be randomised into two groups and given one of two types of support garment. Group 1: will be given a postnatal belly belt - Belly Bandit bamboo, to wear for 8 weeks postnatally. Group 2: will be given a piece of size L tubigrip to wear around their abdomen for 8 weeks postnatally. The support garments will be given to subjects by a qualified physiotherapist (with at least 10 years experience in treating postnatal women) and advised to wear the support when awake during the day. Their adherence will be monitored with a paper diary. Standard advice will be given via an education leaflet including exercises (core bracing with activity, pelvic floor exercises, shoulder raises) and advice on activities of daily living (brace when lifting, avoid excessive abdominal muscle strain eg sit ups, don't lift anything heavier than baby, bowel advice to avoid constipation). This leaflet is routinely given to women with rectus abdominis diastasis by the ADHB physiotherapy department. The rectus abdominis diastasis will be remeasured in both groups 8 weeks postnatally.
Sponsors
Jill Depledge
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
20 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Women who have given birth either vaginally or via LSCS in the past 3 days, who have been identified as having a rectus abdominis diastasis of greater than 22mm
Exclusion criteria
Women with significant history of back or pelvic joint pain Women with significant spinal abnormality (e.g., scoliosis), inflammatory, rheumatologic neuromuscular or connective tissue disease
Outcome results
None listed