Efficacy of Hypopressive Exercises Versus Pilates in Women with Abdominal Diastasis in the Postpartum Period: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To compare the efficacy of hypopressive exercises (HE) versus pilates exercise in women with abdominal diastasis (AD) during the postpartum, and to know the effects of each of the exercises independently.

Design: Single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Faculty of Physical Therapy of Alcalá de Henares (UAH).

Participants: Primiparous women with DA who have vaginal delivery and are in the 3 months postpartum (N=40).

Interventions: Participants will be randomly assigned to perform either a HE program focused on freediving work (n=20) or a pilates program focused on exhalation (n=20). The intervention will consist of 3 weekly sessions lasting 30 minutes over 12 weeks, where they will receive a weekly face-to-face and group session and two home sessions.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcome will be measurement of the distance between rectus abdominis through ultrasound to be assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention and 12 weeks later. The secondary outcome measure will correspond to the measurement of quality of life using the SF-36 Health Questionnaire. It will be collected through masked evaluations by 2 physiotherapists at baseline, at the end of the intervention and at 12 weeks.

Inclusion criteria

• Primiparous women over 18 years of age who are within 3 months postpartum.
• AD with values >2.5 cm in any of the following reference points: 2 cm supraumbilical or 2 cm infraumbilical.
• Vaginal birth.

Exclusion criteria

• Abdominal or umbilical hernia.
• Previous abdominal surgery.
• Be receiving any other treatment for your AD