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

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 using a 10-cm visual analog scale was assessed. TrA and IO thickness, both in a resting state and during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) with an 11 MHz linear probe, and diaphragm thickness at the end of maximum inspiration and expiration with a 1-6 MHz convex probe were measured. The percentage of change (PC) in both the thickness and CP of these muscles was calculated.

RESULTS

The mean pain intensity of the PD group was 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 > .05). The PC in the thickness and CP of the TrAright and TrAleft muscles was smaller in the PD group than in the control group (P < .05). No difference was found between groups in terms of the PC in the thickness and CP of IOright, IOleft, and diaphragm (P > .05).

CONCLUSION

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