Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34391661›Full record

SynthesisBrazilian journal of physical therapy

What is the evidence for abdominal and pelvic floor muscle training to treat diastasis recti abdominis postpartum? A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Sandra Gluppe, Marie Ellström Engh, Kari Bø

4 registry-linked trialsOpen access · hybridAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Brazilian journal of physical therapy. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 4 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 39 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
39citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
11.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06286553 narecruitingnot on this map

Trunk Stabilization Exercise and Inspiratory Muscle Training Effects on Diastasis Recti Abdominis in Postpartum Women - A Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of PatrasRan2024 to 2026Enrolled48ConditionsDiastasis Recti And Weakness Of The Linea Alba, Diastasis, MuscleArmsTrunk exercise, Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT), Control Group
NCT06302816 nacompletednot on this map

Comparative Effects of Tupler and Scoop Exercises on Inter-recti-distance, Low Back Pain, Abdominal Strength and Urogynecological Symptoms in Diastasis Recti

TypeinterventionalSponsorRiphah International UniversityRan2023 to 2024Enrolled30ConditionsDiastasisArmsTUPLER exercises, SCOOP EXERCISES
NCT06599541 nanot yet recruitingnot on this map

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

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of AlcalaRan2024 to 2026Enrolled48ConditionsAbdominal DiastasisArmsHypopressive Exercise, Pilates Exercise
NCT07440836 narecruitingnot on this map

Effects of Corrective Versus Plank Exercises on Strength, Inter Recti Distance and Pain in Females With Diastasis Recti

TypeinterventionalSponsorRiphah International UniversityRan2025 to 2026Enrolled56ConditionsDiastasis RectiArmscorrective exercises, Plank Exercise
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

39 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 91 citations in OpenAlex.

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  17. Principles of rectus diastasis classification and treatment.Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery · 2025
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Sandra GluppeDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sports Sciences, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: s.l.gluppe@nih.no.
Marie Ellström EnghDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Kari BøDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sports Sciences, Oslo, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Norwegian School of Sport Sciences · NOAkershus University Hospital · NO

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDiastasis recti abdominis (DRA) affects a significant number of women in the postpartum period.

objectiveTo systematically review whether abdominal and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercise programs are effective in the treatment of DRA postpartum.

methodsElectronic search was conducted from inception to March 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) or pilot RCTs that compared abdominal training, PFM training, or a combination of both in at least one arm of the trial were included. The primary outcome was presence of DRA (numbers/percentage) or inter-recti distance (IRD) change. GRADE was used to rate the overall quality of evidence. Pooled effect sizes were expressed as mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

resultsSeven RCTs totaling 381 women were included. Two studies comparing transversus abdominis (TrA) training with minimal intervention provided data to be included in a meta-analysis. The results provided very low level quality evidence that TrA training reduced IRD (MD = -0.63 cm, 95% confidence interval: -1.25, -0.01, I

conclusionThere is currently very low-quality scientific evidence to recommend specific exercise programs in the treatment of DRA postpartum.

Indexed as

Diastasis, MusclePelvic FloorExercise TherapyFemaleHumansPostpartum PeriodRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRectus AbdominisDiastasis recti abdominisExercisePelvic floor musclePostpartumTreatment

Identifiers

PMID34391661
PMCPMC8721086
OpenAlexW3184829018

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.