Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) occurs when both rectus abdominal muscles break apart to the sides, coupled with widening of the linea alba connective tissue and bulging of abdominal wall. DRA is diagnosed when using the width of the examiner finger measuring inter-rectus distance (IRD) >2cm (Yan Liu et al, 2022).
According to the study, the condition affects 30-70% of women during pregnancy, 35-70% of pregnant women do not recover after giving birth without treatment or exercise. Furthermore, 39-45% of women continue to have DRA at 26 weeks postpartum, and the incidence of DRA at 1 year postpartum is 23-32%.
The negative effects of DRA in postpartum women:
• Physical function
• Abdominal trunk function
• Impairment of quality of life
As a worldwide alternative therapy, acupuncture has received wide attention in preventing and treating issues related to pregnancy and childbirth.
Despite the long-term efficacy of EA is still unclear, the Yan Liu RCT study has extensively evaluated the effectiveness and safety of electro-acupuncture in the clinical treatment of post-partum DRA.
The study demonstrated the use of EA applies electrical stimulation to acupuncture needles on Meridian points to improve tissue excitability and tone of the postpartum abdominal muscle group has showed positive results.
The video below shows the example of use of EA on treatment of DRA
Blog post by Emily Ho & David Lintonbon
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