Randomized Study of Naprapathy Training to Prevent and Reduce Postpartum Rectus Abdominis Muscle Separation

What this Trial Is About

Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles DRAM is a common condition after pregnancy and significant weight loss, involving the stretching of the linea alba. Although DRAM often improves postpartum, some women experience persistent muscle separation, leading to trunk instability, back pain, and reduced abdominal strength. This trial examines the effectiveness of a specific naprapathy training program to prevent symptoms related to DRAM in postpartum women. The study is a randomized single-blind controlled trial including women with more than 3 cm diastasis. Participants are divided into two groups one performs a naprapathy training program for three months with exercises lasting ten minutes six days a week plus short exercises three times a day, while the control group maintains their usual routines. Ultrasound and physical measurements of the abdominal wall, along with questionnaires on physical activity, pain, function, back pain, urinary incontinence, and quality of life, are collected at the start, six months, and twelve months. Participants will undergo ultrasound assessments of the linea alba width and laxity, abdominal circumference measurements, and complete several questionnaires at three time points. The primary outcome is abdominal trunk function after one year, with secondary outcomes including disability, urinary incontinence, quality of life, and anatomical changes of the diastasis. The study monitors changes over time and evaluates the impact of the training program on symptoms and anatomy, with a total follow-up of one year.

Naprapathy Training for Postpartum DRAM Prevention