P075 IS INTER-RECTI DISTANCE (IRD) A RELIABLE PROXY FOR EVALUATION OF FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH DIASTASIS RECTI ABDOMINIS (DRA)?

Aim Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) following pregnancy is associated with functional impairment such as back pain, abdominal core instability, urinary incontinence, and abdominal bulging. Several studies have reported functional improvements after surgical repair of the DRA. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the inter-recti distance (IRD) and self-reported functional disabilities measured with the Disability Rating Index questionnaire (DRI), with the hypothesis that inter-recti distance could serve as a proxy for core instability symptoms. Material and Methods A retrospective study based on a consecutive cohort of patients with core instability symptoms combined with DRA. The IRD was measured with ultrasonography among women with symptomatic post-partum DRA and functional impairments were registered with the self-report DRI questionnaire that covers twelve unspecific daily activities. IRD results were analysed against the DRI score with uni- and multivariable regression analyses. Results A total of 222 women were included in this study. Univariable regression analyses showed a significant positive correlation between the heavier activities running, heavy work, lifting heavy objects and exercise/sports and IRD, which failed to reach significance in the multivariable regression analysis with adjustments for length, weight, and BMI. Conclusions This study could not show any significant correlation between self-reported functional impairments and DRA isolated in the multivariable analysis, even though there is a tendency towards an association between DRA and heavy activities. The post-partum core instability situation is complex and probably origins from more components than solely the inter-recti distance.