SynthesisHernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery2026
Abdominal wall function in hernia and diastasis: systematic review of evaluation methods and clinical relevance.
Synthesis in Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Does it work? comparing short-term physical performance following treatment of diastasis recti using army physical fitness test outcomes.Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery · 2026Article
- Metabolism, Morphology and Function of the Anterior Abdominal Wall Musculature in Ventral Hernias and After Repair: A Narrative Review and Research Agenda.Journal of personalized medicine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAbdominal wall function (AWF) has emerged as a pivotal outcome in patients with diastasis recti (DR) and midline ventral/incisional hernias, yet methods and timing of assessment remain heterogenous and non-standardized. This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on how AWF is evaluated in the setting of DR and ventral/incisional hernia, and to appraise the clinical value of different assessment strategies.
methodsThis systematic review was reported according to PRISMA guidelines, with a comprehensive search in MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and CENTRAL up to August 31, 2025 (PROSPERO: CRD420251148381). Studies assessing AWF pre and post-surgery in patients with DR and/or ventral/incisional hernia using objective measures (e.g., dynamometry, standardized physical tests) and/or patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were included. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB-2 for randomized trials and MINORS for observational studies.
resultsNine studies (2 randomized trials, 7 prospective cohorts; n = 688) evaluated abdominal wall function using trunk dynamometry, standardized clinical tests, and PROMs. Preoperatively, abdominal wall function was consistently impaired. Surgical reconstruction restoring the linea alba led to marked improvements: trunk strength improved on dynamometry, clinical tests normalized, and PROMs showed meaningful gains in quality of life and disability. In postpartum diastasis recti, benefits-including continence-persisted at 3 years. No meta-analysis was conducted, and all findings represent a narrative synthesis.
conclusionIn patients with diastasis recti or midline ventral/incisional hernias, most studies suggest that restoration of the linea alba is associated with measurable improvements in abdominal wall function and patient-reported outcomes. Wide adoption of standardized core outcome sets-integrating pragmatic objective tests with disease-specific PROMs-and longer multicenter follow-up are essential to inform surgical decision-making and future guidelines.
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Registered trials
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