Regular physical activity is a recognised factor in the promotion of lifelong health. Exercise during pregnancy has been more accepted lately, and research shows that exercise during pregnancy is safe and beneficial, as opposed to the general view a few years ago when exercise during pregnancy was considered dangerous for both mother and fetus. It is likely that exercise plays a crucial role for women's health in postpartum as at any other time during her life. However, exercise after pregnancy is not a well­studied field and there are uncertainties about how exercise postpartum should be performed. This fact contributes to that an estimated 75% of women in postpartum reports that they want more information about lifestyle related factors such as diet, physical activity and exercise. The aim of the present study was to investigate how well exercise­advise given to women postpartum match with current research. To investigate this, a survey was made. Seven midwifes responded to how they advise and supervise women when it comes to exercise postpartum. The results shows that a majority of midwifes are unsure of how exercise should be performed, and the advise given does not always match with current research. The present study indicates that more research and education concerning exercise postpartum is needed.

Bakgrund: Magmuskeldelningen mellan de två rectusbukarna benämns även rectusdiastas (RD) och ökar under graviditeten pga. hormonell och mekanisk inverkan. Återhämtning sker naturligt de första åtta veckorna postpartum men delningen kan kvarstå därefter. I denna studie benämns patologisk diastas för ökad RD. Kvinnor kan påverkas fysiskt och psykiskt av ökad RD och barnmorskor ska enligt ICM kunna identifiera tillstånd som avviker från det normala och vid behov kunna samverka och remittera till andra yrkeskompetenser.Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka barnmorskors och fysioterapeuters erfarenheter av att möta kvinnor med ökad rectusdiastas efter graviditet.Metod: Kvalitativ innehållsanalys inspirerad av Malteruds (2012) analysmetod Systematisk textkondensering (STC) utfördes på data från semistrukturerade fokusgruppintervjuer med sammanlagt nio fysioterapeuter och sju barnmorskor runt om i Mellansverige.Resultat: Fyra övergripande områden identifierades; Ökad kroppsmedvetenhet i dagens samhälle, Syn på ökad RD som symtom på ohälsa, Kunskapsbrist kring ökad RD och inhämtning av kunskap genom eget intresse samt Syn på yrkesansvar och önskan om samarbete och riktlinjer.Slutsats: Barnmorskor och fysioterapeuter upplever låg erfarenhet och kunskapsbrist gällande ökad RD. För en mer patientsäker vård behövs nationella riktlinjer samt ett bättre samarbete.Klinisk tillämpbarhet: Studien kan inspirera arbetsplatser att satsa på interprofessionell fortbildning samt uppmanar till utformning av riktlinjer som grundas på mer omfattande forskning. / Background: The abdominal muscle separation between the two rectus abdominis muscles is also known as diastasis recti (DrA) and expands during pregnancy. The duration of the natural recovery takes approximately eight weeks postpartum, but for some people the separation will remain much longer. In this paper, the diastasis will be referred as an increased DrA. According to ICM, midwives should be able to identify what deviates from normal, and if necessary, to collaborate and refer to other professionals. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore midwives and physiotherapists experiences regarding meeting women with increased diastasis recti after pregnancy.Method: A qualitative content analysis with Malteruds method systematic text condensation (STC) of focus group interviews were conducted with a total of nine physiotherapists and seven midwives around Sweden.Results: Four overall areas were identified; Increased body awareness in today's society, Views of increased DrA as a symptom of illness, The lack of knowledge about increased DrA and the acquisition of knowledge through own interest and Views on professional responsibility and the desire for cooperation and guidelines.Conclusion: Midwives and physiotherapists say they lack experience and knowledge regarding increased DrA. National guidelines and a more improved collaboration is needed for safer patient care.Clinical application: The study can inspire workplaces to invest in interprofessional training and establish guidelines based on more extensive research.

Bakgrund: Rektusdiastas (RD) är en magmuskeldelning som allra vanligast uppstår i samband med graviditet. Vid RD finns en svaghet, tunnhet och breddökning av linea alba och en samtidig svaghet i bukmusklerna. Behandling vid RD är träning med fysioterapeut och kirurgi. Ingen tidigare studie har gjorts för att undersöka kvinnors upplevelser av vården vid RD. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att utforska erfarenheter av information och bemötande samt upplevelser hos kvinnor som i samband med graviditet fått symtomgivande rektusdiastas. Metod: Genom en kvalitativ semistrukturerad intervjustudie intervjuades fem kvinnor som har/har haft symtomgivande rektusdiastas. Rekrytering skedde via sociala medier och intervjuerna genomfördes via Zoom. Kvalitativ innehållsanalys med induktiv ansats användes för att analysera den insamlade datan. Resultat: Innehållsanalysen resulterade i huvudkategorier och underkategorier, samt tre teman: information, bemötande och upplevelser. Deltagarna upplevde informationen från vården som bristfällig och de flesta sökte därför ytterligare information via internet. Kunskapen hos vårdpersonalen upplevdes som bristande och varierande. Flera deltagare upplevde ett nedlåtande bemötande från vårdpersonal. Generellt sett upplevde deltagarna att både fysioterapi och kirurgi är vedertagna behandlingssätt. Konklusion: Information, bemötande och kunskaper upplevdes bristfällig under och efter graviditet av kvinnor med RD. / Background: Diastasis recti is a division of the abdominal muscles that most commonly relates to pregnancy. Diastasis recti is a weakness, thinness and widening of the linea alba and a weakness in the abdominal muscles. Treatment for diastasis recti is physiotherapy and surgery. No previous study has been done to investigate women's experiences of healthcare in diastasis recti. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate women’s experiences of information and treatment as well as the experiences of those who have had symptomatic diastasis recti due to pregnancy. Method: Through a qualitative semi-structured interview study five women were interviewed. Recruitment took place via social media and the interviews were conducted via Zoom. Qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach was used for the analysis. Results: The participants experienced the information from healthcare as inadequate. The knowledge of the healthcare providers was perceived as lacking and varied. Participants experienced condescending treatment from certain healthcare providers. In general, the participants feel that both physiotherapy and surgery are accepted methods of treatment. The content analysis resulted in three themes, information, treatment and experiences. Based on these themes, main categories and subcategories were created. Conclusion: Information, treatment and knowledge are perceived as insufficient during and after pregnancy by women with diastasis recti.

Bakgrund: Bukväggens muskulatur spelar en viktig roll gällande hållning, bål- och bäckenstabilitet, andning, bålrörelser och som stöd för de inre organen i buken. Rektusdiastas, en delning av bukmusklerna, är vanligt förekommande framför allt hos kvinnor under och efter graviditet och kan eventuellt påverka dessa funktioner och göra ländryggen och bäckenet mer sårbara. Syfte: Att undersöka om det finns ett samband mellan vidden på rektusdiastasen och ländryggs- och bäckensmärta samt vidden på rektusdiastasen och rörelserädsla, hos kvinnor efter graviditet. Metod: Kvantitativ tvärsnittsstudie. Antalet deltagare var 141. Populationen var kvinnor 20-50 år som fött barn där yngsta barnet var mellan 1-8 år och som förstod och kunde uttrycka svenska i tal och skrift. Deltagarna skulle ha en rektusdiastas på minst 2 fingerbredd mellan rektusbukarna mätt 4 cm ovanför naveln. Datainsamlingen bestod av ultraljudsmätning samt frågeformulären Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) och Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-SV). Korrelation analyserades med Spearmans korrelationskoefficient. Deltagarna delades in i två grupper utifrån att de hade en rektusdiastas på mer eller mindre än 2,4 cm och skillnaderna mellan grupperna analyserades med Mann-Whitney U-test. Resultat: Ingen statistisk signifikant korrelation över p = 0,05 förelåg mellan vidden på rektusdiastasen och någon av smärtskattningarna. Däremot förelåg en statistiskt signifikant svagt positiv korrelation mellan vidden på rektusdiastasen och rörelserädsla. Vidare sågs ingen statistisk signifikant skillnad mellan de två grupperna, ≤ 2,4 cm eller >2,4 cm rektusdiastas, och smärtskattningarna. Resultatet visade dock på statistisk signifikant skillnad mellan grupperna och skattningen av rörelserädsla. Slutsats: Studien visade att vidden av rektusdiastas som enskild faktor inte hade något samband med ländryggs- och bäckensmärtor hos kvinnor efter graviditet. Kvinnor med kvarstående rektusdiastas > 2,4 cm, tenderade i denna studien att skatta högre på TSKSV, än de som hade ≤ 2,4 cm. Gällande skattningen av smärtan sågs ingen statistisk signifikans mellan grupperna. I mötet med dessa kvinnor bör fysioterapeuter inte endast fokusera på smärtan utan beakta fler faktorer såsom rörelserädsla, och fokusera på att guida dessa personer till att våga röra sig för att minska och undvika utveckling av rörelserädsla. / Background: The abdominal muscles play an important part in posture, inner unit stability, breathing, upper body movement, to generate power of the abdominal muscles and in supporting inner organs. Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles is common during and after pregnancy and might affect these important functions and thereby increase the vulnerability of the lower back and pelvic areas. Aim: To determine the correlation between the width of the diastasis recti abdominis and low back- and pelvic pain and the width of diastasis recti abdominis and fear of movement, in women after pregnancy. Method: Quantitative cross-sectional study. The amount of participants was 141. The population was women, 20-50 years old, who had given birth, the youngest child between the ages of 1-8 years old and were able to understand Swedish both verbally and in writing. The research participants had a diastasis recti abdominis more than 2 finger-widths, measured 4 cm above the umbilicus. The data collection was made with ultrasound and the questionnaires used were Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and the swedish version of Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-SV). Correlation was analyzed with Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The participants were also divided into two groups based on a cut-off value of the diastasis of 2,4 cm and differences between groups were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: No statistical significance in correlation over p = 0,05 was found between the width of the diastasis recti abdominis and any of the pain ratings. However, there was a statistical significant weak positive correlation between the width of the diastasis recti abdominis and fear of movement. Furthermore there was no statistical significance between the groups ≤ 2,4 cm or > 2,4 cm of diastasis recti abdominis and the pain ratings, but a significant difference between the groups and the estimation on fear of movement. Conclusion: The study showed that the width of diastasis recti abdominis as alone factor doesn’t have any correlation with low back- and pelvic pain in women after pregnancy. Women with remaining diastasis recti abdominis > 2,4 cm, tended to estimate higher in this study in TSK-SV than those who had ≤ 2,4 cm. Regarding the ratings of the pain, no statistically significant difference between the groups were shown. When meeting these women physiotherapists should not only focus on the pain but also consider factors such as fear of movement and focus their efforts on guiding the women so that the risk of developing fear of movement is reduced.

A heterogeneidade da linha média observada nas pacientes submetidas à dermolipectomia abdominal e os inúmeros estudos demonstrando a importância do colágeno na estrutura e força tênsil das aponeuroses, suscitaram o interesse em conhecer o índice dos colágenos tipo I e III da linha média. O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a quantidade dos colágenos tipo I e III de mulheres com e sem diástase de músculos retos do abdome, assim como identificar se existe diferença na proporção entre colágeno I e III nas aponeuroses da linha média entre os dois grupos. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo de caso-controle aninhado a uma coorte incluindo 18 pacientes do sexo feminino com diástase de músculos retos do abdome e um grupo controle de 18 pacientes de mesmo gênero sem apresentar essa condição. Foram coletadas amostras da linha média 3cm acima e 2cm abaixo da cicatriz umbilical. As amostras foram submetidas a análise imuno-histoquímica utilizando anticorpos policlonais anticolágeno tipos I e III. Resultados: Nas mulheres com diástase de músculos retos do abdome, as quantidades de colágeno tipo I e III são menores de que naquelas sem essa condição, tanto nas amostras de aponeurose da linha alba obtidas acima da cicatriz umbilical quanto abaixo da mesma (P<0,001). A proporção entre colágeno tipos I e III é menor nas mulheres com diástase de músculos retos do abdome nas amostras de aponeurose obtidas acima da cicatriz umbilical (P<0,001), não havendo diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os grupos com e sem diástase (P = 0,110) nas amostras obtidas abaixo da cicatriz umbilical. Conclusões: As menores quantidades de colágeno tipos I e III encontrados na aponeurose da linha média podem ser considerados importante fator na diástase dos músculos retos do abdome. / Differences observed in the midline of the abdominal wall in patients undergoing abdominoplasty and evidence from a number of studies showing the importance of collagen to aponeurotic structures and tensile strength have raised interest in investigating the rates of type I and type III collagen in this anatomic region. The aim of this study was to assess the amount of type I and type III collagen in the linea alba of women with and without diastasis recti and to determine collagen type I/III ratio by comparing these two groups. This is a case-control study nested within a surgical cohort of 18women with diastasis recti and a control group with 18 women without diastasis recti. Samples were collected from de midline of the abdominal wall three centimeters above and two centimeters bellow the umbilical scar. The samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using polyclonal antibodies to collagen type I and type III. The amount of collagen type I and type III was smaller in women with diastasis recti than in those without this condition in samples collected from the linea alba above and bellow the umbilical scar (P<0,001). Collagen type I/III ratio was lower in womem with diastasis recti in the samples collected above de umbilical scar (P<0,001). However, there was no statistically significant difference between groups with and without distasis recti in the samples collected bellow de umbilical scar (P = 0,110). The lower amount of collagen type I and III observed in the midline of the abdominal wall could be a factor in diastasis recti.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-06T23:46:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013 / A deformidade musculo-aponeurotica da parede abdominal decorrente da gestacao e multidirecional. A tecnica mais utilizada para sua correcao e a plicatura da aponeurose anterior. Seria desejavel obter ao mesmo tempo uma correcao transversal e longitudinal. O objetivo deste estudo e avaliar o eixo vertical do plano musculo-aponeurotico apos o uso da sutura triangular na correcao da diastase de retos. Metodos: Foram selecionadas 31 pacientes com deformidade abdominal tipo III/A de Nahas, divididas em dois grupos (GST- grupo sutura triangular e GSC u grupo sutura continua). Estas foram submetidas a abdominoplastia e correcao da diastase dos musculos retos com plicatura longitudinal mediana, feita entre dois clipes metalicos implantados. Os dois tipos de sutura foram realizados em todas as pacientes. No GST, apos a realizacao da sutura continua, foi realizada e mantida a sutura triangular e o oposto ocorreu no GSC. Apos cada sutura a distancia entre os clipes foi medida. Foram realizadas radiografias de abdome tres semanas e seis meses apos a cirurgia quando foi medida a distancia entre os clipes. Os dados foram comparados utilizando-se Analise de Variancia de Friedman e teste de Wilcoxon. Resultados: A sutura triangular promoveu reducao significante do eixo vertical da aponeurose quando comparada a sutura continua e a situacao sem sutura no periodo intraoperatorio (Wilcoxon p<0,001). Esta diferenca manteve-se nas radiografias de seis meses (Wilcoxon p<0,001). Conclusao: A sutura triangular produziu encurtamento do eixo vertical do plano musculo-aponeurotico da parede abdominal em longo prazo / Background: Diastasis recti secondary to pregnancy is multidirectional. Plication of the anterior rectus sheath is the most widely used technique for correction of this condition. However, it would be desirable to simultaneously perform the transverse and longitudinal repair of the defect. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the length of the musculoaponeurotic layer after diastasis recti repair using triangular sutures. Methods: Thirty-one women with Nahas’ type III/A deformity were divided into two groups: the triangular suture (TS) group and the continuous suture (CS) group. All patients underwent conventional abdominoplasty and diastasis recti repair with medial longitudinal plication performed between two metal clips. The two types of suture were used in both groups. In the TS group, after a continuous suture was performed and removed, triangular sutures were used and maintained in place. In the CS group, the order of suture placement was reversed. The distance between clips was measured before and immediately after suturing, and at 3 weeks and 6 months postoperatively using plain abdominal radiographs. Statistical analysis was conducted with the Friedman analysis of variance and Wilcoxon test. Results: The use of triangular sutures significantly reduced the length of the aponeurosis compared with both the intraoperative Abstract | 87 situation without suture (P < 0.001) and the use of continuous suture (intraoperatively and 6 months after surgery; P < 0.001). Conclusion: The repair of diastasis recti using triangular sutures resulted in vertical shortening of musculoaponeurotic layer immediately after the procedure and in the long term. / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

A heterogeneidade da linha média observada nas pacientes submetidas à dermolipectomia abdominal e os inúmeros estudos demonstrando a importância do colágeno na estrutura e força tênsil das aponeuroses, suscitaram o interesse em conhecer o índice dos colágenos tipo I e III da linha média. O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a quantidade dos colágenos tipo I e III de mulheres com e sem diástase de músculos retos do abdome, assim como identificar se existe diferença na proporção entre colágeno I e III nas aponeuroses da linha média entre os dois grupos. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo de caso-controle aninhado a uma coorte incluindo 18 pacientes do sexo feminino com diástase de músculos retos do abdome e um grupo controle de 18 pacientes de mesmo gênero sem apresentar essa condição. Foram coletadas amostras da linha média 3cm acima e 2cm abaixo da cicatriz umbilical. As amostras foram submetidas a análise imuno-histoquímica utilizando anticorpos policlonais anticolágeno tipos I e III. Resultados: Nas mulheres com diástase de músculos retos do abdome, as quantidades de colágeno tipo I e III são menores de que naquelas sem essa condição, tanto nas amostras de aponeurose da linha alba obtidas acima da cicatriz umbilical quanto abaixo da mesma (P<0,001). A proporção entre colágeno tipos I e III é menor nas mulheres com diástase de músculos retos do abdome nas amostras de aponeurose obtidas acima da cicatriz umbilical (P<0,001), não havendo diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os grupos com e sem diástase (P = 0,110) nas amostras obtidas abaixo da cicatriz umbilical. Conclusões: As menores quantidades de colágeno tipos I e III encontrados na aponeurose da linha média podem ser considerados importante fator na diástase dos músculos retos do abdome. / Differences observed in the midline of the abdominal wall in patients undergoing abdominoplasty and evidence from a number of studies showing the importance of collagen to aponeurotic structures and tensile strength have raised interest in investigating the rates of type I and type III collagen in this anatomic region. The aim of this study was to assess the amount of type I and type III collagen in the linea alba of women with and without diastasis recti and to determine collagen type I/III ratio by comparing these two groups. This is a case-control study nested within a surgical cohort of 18women with diastasis recti and a control group with 18 women without diastasis recti. Samples were collected from de midline of the abdominal wall three centimeters above and two centimeters bellow the umbilical scar. The samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using polyclonal antibodies to collagen type I and type III. The amount of collagen type I and type III was smaller in women with diastasis recti than in those without this condition in samples collected from the linea alba above and bellow the umbilical scar (P<0,001). Collagen type I/III ratio was lower in womem with diastasis recti in the samples collected above de umbilical scar (P<0,001). However, there was no statistically significant difference between groups with and without distasis recti in the samples collected bellow de umbilical scar (P = 0,110). The lower amount of collagen type I and III observed in the midline of the abdominal wall could be a factor in diastasis recti.

A heterogeneidade da linha média observada nas pacientes submetidas à dermolipectomia abdominal e os inúmeros estudos demonstrando a importância do colágeno na estrutura e força tênsil das aponeuroses, suscitaram o interesse em conhecer o índice dos colágenos tipo I e III da linha média. O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a quantidade dos colágenos tipo I e III de mulheres com e sem diástase de músculos retos do abdome, assim como identificar se existe diferença na proporção entre colágeno I e III nas aponeuroses da linha média entre os dois grupos. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo de caso-controle aninhado a uma coorte incluindo 18 pacientes do sexo feminino com diástase de músculos retos do abdome e um grupo controle de 18 pacientes de mesmo gênero sem apresentar essa condição. Foram coletadas amostras da linha média 3cm acima e 2cm abaixo da cicatriz umbilical. As amostras foram submetidas a análise imuno-histoquímica utilizando anticorpos policlonais anticolágeno tipos I e III. Resultados: Nas mulheres com diástase de músculos retos do abdome, as quantidades de colágeno tipo I e III são menores de que naquelas sem essa condição, tanto nas amostras de aponeurose da linha alba obtidas acima da cicatriz umbilical quanto abaixo da mesma (P<0,001). A proporção entre colágeno tipos I e III é menor nas mulheres com diástase de músculos retos do abdome nas amostras de aponeurose obtidas acima da cicatriz umbilical (P<0,001), não havendo diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os grupos com e sem diástase (P = 0,110) nas amostras obtidas abaixo da cicatriz umbilical. Conclusões: As menores quantidades de colágeno tipos I e III encontrados na aponeurose da linha média podem ser considerados importante fator na diástase dos músculos retos do abdome. / Differences observed in the midline of the abdominal wall in patients undergoing abdominoplasty and evidence from a number of studies showing the importance of collagen to aponeurotic structures and tensile strength have raised interest in investigating the rates of type I and type III collagen in this anatomic region. The aim of this study was to assess the amount of type I and type III collagen in the linea alba of women with and without diastasis recti and to determine collagen type I/III ratio by comparing these two groups. This is a case-control study nested within a surgical cohort of 18women with diastasis recti and a control group with 18 women without diastasis recti. Samples were collected from de midline of the abdominal wall three centimeters above and two centimeters bellow the umbilical scar. The samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using polyclonal antibodies to collagen type I and type III. The amount of collagen type I and type III was smaller in women with diastasis recti than in those without this condition in samples collected from the linea alba above and bellow the umbilical scar (P<0,001). Collagen type I/III ratio was lower in womem with diastasis recti in the samples collected above de umbilical scar (P<0,001). However, there was no statistically significant difference between groups with and without distasis recti in the samples collected bellow de umbilical scar (P = 0,110). The lower amount of collagen type I and III observed in the midline of the abdominal wall could be a factor in diastasis recti.

Introducción: Se define al dolor lumbar como un dolor en la zona de la espalda baja, entre el borde inferior de la última costilla y los pliegues glúteos. Puede presentarse en un 20 % de la población de manera intensa. La prevalencia de dolor lumbar crónico en los universitarios oscila entre 12.4 % - 75 %. Se encontró que la alteración de la musculatura del recto abdominal se encuentra relacionado con las personas que presentan dolor lumbar, a diferencia de otros músculos del Coré. Objetivo: Determinar si existe asociación entre la distancia entre los bordes mediales del músculo recto abdominal y la presencia de dolor lumbar en estudiantes de una universidad privada de la ciudad de Lima. Método: Estudio de casos y controles, realizado en estudiantes de una universidad privada de la ciudad de Lima. Nuestras variables fueron, el dolor lumbar y la distancia entre los rectos abdominales Los instrumentos fueron, ficha de datos, escala numérica de dolor (ENA), índice cintura cadera, cuestionario nórdico, escala de Oswestry y caliper digital calibrado. Resultados: Se observo que la media y desviación estándar de la distancia de los rectos abdominales (IRD) fue (21.9 ± 3.5). El dolor lumbar tuvo asociación con la variable IRD (p = 0.001); IRD cuartiles (p= 0.015) y IRD dicotomizada (p=0.004). Incluso, la variable diástasis abdominal se encontró asociada con el dolor lumbar (p=0.006). Conclusiones: Se encontró una asociación entre el (IRD) y el dolor lumbar en los estudiantes universitarios. Además, se evidencio asociación entre diástasis y el dolor lumbar. / Background: Low back pain (LBP) is defined as the pain located in the low back between the lower edge of the last rib and the gluteal folds. It can be found in 20 % of the population as intense pain. The prevalence of chronic low back pain in university students oscillates between 12.4 %-75 %. Unlike other Core muscles, the alteration of the rectus abdominis muscles is related to low back pain. Objective: To determine the association between the abdominal rectus medial edges distance and the presence of low back pain in students of a private university in Lima. Material and methods: Case-control study in students of a private university in Lima. The variables were low back pain and the inter-rectus distance. The research instruments were data collection sheet, numeric pain scale, waist-hip ratio, Nordic questionnaire, Oswestry disability index and calibrated digital caliper. Results: The mean and the standard deviation of the inter-rectus distance was 21.9 (±3.5). The variable low back pain had association with the variables inter-rectus distance (p=0.001), inter-rectus distance quartiles (p=0.015) and dichotomized inter-rectus distance (p=0.004). Additionally, the variable diastasis recti abdominis muscle was associated with low back pain (p=0.006). Conclusions: There is association between inter-rectus distance and low back pain in university students. Furthermore, an association between diastasis recti abdominis muscle and low back pain was evidenced. / Tesis