Thickness and Contractile Performance of Lateral Abdominal Muscles and Diaphragm in Young Adult and Nulliparous Women with Primary Dysmenorrhea.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the thickness and contractile performance (CP) of the transversus abdominis (TrA) and internal oblique (IO) muscles and diaphragm in young adult and nulliparous women with and without primary dysmenorrhea (PD).

Methods: Women with (PD group, n=30) and without PD (Control group, n=30) were included. Menstrual pain intensity with a 10-cm Visual Analogue Scale was assessed. TrA and IO thickness both in a resting state and during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) with 11 MHz linear probe, diaphragm thickness at the end of maximum inspiration and expiration with 1-6 MHz convex probe were measured. The calculation of the percentage of change (PC) in both the thickness and CP of these muscles was conducted.

Results: The mean pain intensity of PD group was found as 7.18±1.22 cm. No difference was detected between groups in terms of the thickness of the TrA and IO muscles at rest and during ADIM and the thickness of the diaphragm at the end of deep inspiration and expiration (p>0.05). PC in thickness and CP of the TrAright and TrAleft muscles were less in the PD group than the control group (p<0.05). No difference was found between groups in terms of PC in thickness and CP of IOright, IOleft and diaphragm (p>0.05).

Conclusions: PC in thickness and CP of TrA muscle were less in women with PD than women without PD. Therefore, it may be important to consider the decreased PC in the TrA muscle thickness with the ADIM as compared to the thickness at rest and to provide exercise training in management of PD.