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Impaired Trunk Flexor Strength, Fatigability, and Steadiness in Postpartum Women
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8 2018
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Source: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 50(8):1558-1569
[PDF-683.52 KB]
Details:
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Alternative Title:Med Sci Sports Exerc
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Personal Author:
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Description:Purpose
To determine whether postpartum women (vaginal and Cesarean delivery) have deficits in trunk flexor strength, fatigability and steadiness, compared with nulligravid women, up to 26 weeks postpartum. We hypothesized that postpartum women would be weaker, more fatigable and have greater torque fluctuations than controls, with Cesarean delivery showing greater deficits than vaginal delivery.
Methods
22 control women (nulligravid) and 29 postpartum women (20-40 years, 19 who delivered via vaginal birth, 13 via Caesarian section) participated. Postpartum women were tested 8-10 and 24-26 weeks postpartum. Control women were tested 16-18 weeks apart. Maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVC) were performed at multiple trunk positions with the trunk flexor muscles. To determine trunk flexor fatigability, subjects performed intermittent isometric contractions at 50% MVC (6-s contraction, 4-s rest) in upright sitting until task failure. An MVC was performed during the fatiguing task (one/min) and at 10 and 20 minutes of recovery.
Results
At 8 and 26 weeks, postpartum women (groups pooled) were weaker at all trunk angles (38% & 44% respectively, p<0.05) than controls despite no differences in handgrip strength. Postpartum women were more fatigable (71% & 52% respectively) and had greater torque fluctuations than controls (p<0.05). At 8 weeks postpartum, women who had a Cesarean delivery, were 59% more fatigable (p=0.004) than the vaginal-delivery group, with no difference between delivery types at 26 weeks postpartum.
Conclusions
Musculoskeletal recovery, including trunk flexor muscle strength and fatigability, is incomplete at 26 weeks postpartum. These findings provide a rationale for future studies to address outcomes of rehabilitation programs specifically targeted at improving strength and fatigability of the trunk flexor muscles after pregnancy and childbirth.
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Source:
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Pubmed ID:29554014
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Pubmed Central ID:PMC6045430
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Document Type:
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Funding:
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Volume:50
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Issue:8
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