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Vojta method improves motor function by inducing a response by pressing the stimulus zones. To determine the effect of the stimulus zones on trunk muscle thickness, trunk control, trunk angle, and gross motor function in children with spastic-type cerebral palsy. A quasi-experimental pilot study was conducted with 19 children with spastic-type cerebral palsy divided into two groups: Vojta method group (n = 10) and general physical therapy group (n = 9). Each group underwent a 6-week intervention, and assessments were conducted to evaluate abdominal muscle thickness, trunk control, trunk angle, and gross motor function. In the Vojta method group, the change rate in the thickness of the internal oblique and transversus abdominis increased significantly within the group (P < 0.05) and the difference (post-pre) of the transversus abdominis was higher (P < 0.05). The trunk angle increased significantly within the group when thoracic 7 and 11, lumbar 3, and sacrum 1 were supported (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in trunk angle difference (post-pre) between groups when thoracic 11 and sacrum 1 were supported (P < 0.05). Segmental assessment of trunk control and gross motor function measure-88 scores were significantly increased within the group in all groups (P < 0.05). The stimulus zones of the Vojta method could improve trunk control in children with spastic-type cerebral palsy through intra-abdominal pressure and anti-gravity movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identified the key non-volatile taste components and characteristics in the abdominal muscle (AM) of Eriocheir sinensis under various thermal processing methods: boiling at rising temperature (BO-R), boiling at constant temperature (BO-C), steaming with water vapor (ST) and salt-baked (BK). The results showed that arginine (Arg), alanine (Ala), glycine (Gly), glutamate (Glu), 5′-AMP, histidine (His), lysine (Lys), proline (Pro), K+, PO 4 3−, betaine, succinic acid, and lactic acid were the key taste contributors, exhibiting taste activity values (TAV) higher than 1.0. Compared to BO groups, ST and BK group showed higher expression in SFAAs. BK exhibited the highest Arg, 5′-AMP contents, EUC (4.49 g MSG/100 g), and reduced BFAAs. The cluster and correlation analysis demonstrated that Arg, Ala, and His were identified as the primary differential components under various thermal degradation. These findings could deepen the understanding of taste for subsequent studies. • Tri-step IR spectroscopy could monitor the differences in taste components. • Arg, Ala and His are the primary differential components after thermal processing. • Heating duration is a key factor affecting 5′-nucleotides degradation. • BK could perform better in umami and sweetness for E.sinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The core muscles can be evaluated through functional tests, such as the prone bridge test (PBT) and supine unilateral bridge test (SUBT). However, there are differences in reliability and muscle fatigue related to these tests. The study evaluated 30 sedentary individuals and 30 individuals who practiced resistance exercises. Participants performed the PBT and SUBT in association with muscle recruitment, through surface electromyography of the upper and lower limbs and trunk muscles. The order of the tests was random and the participants performed one repetition of each test until fatigue. After a 30-min rest interval the participants repeated the tests. After one week, the participants returned and repeated the tests. The resistance group (RG) presented longer PBT holding time (RG 111.8 ± 9.4 and sedentary group (SG) 81 ± 7.7; p = 0.01), while the holding time in the SUBT was similar for both groups (RG = 100.7 ± 8.1 and SG = 79 ± 9.2; p = 0.09). Good to excellent reliability (ICC >0.836; SEM < 3.85) was established for the PBT and SUBT. Comparing the two groups there were no significant differences or interactions regarding muscle fatigue. The intragroup analysis on the PBT indicated greater gluteus maximus muscle fatigue, and for the SUBT the rectus abdominis presented greater fatigue, in both groups. The PBT and SUBT are reliable. Resistance exercise practitioners maintain the PBT for a longer time. The PBT led to greater gluteus maximus muscle fatigue, while the SUBT generated greater fatigue in the rectus abdominis and gluteus medius, in both groups. • The reliability values of the prone bridge test and supine unilateral bridge test are between good and excellent. • Young individuals who practice resisted exercises remain for a longer time in the prone bridge test. • Fatigue in the muscles during the prone bridge test and supine unilateral bridge test presented the same pattern. • The time until fatigue demonstrated difference in this fatigue pattern and may require strategies to sustain the position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the effects of whole body vibration on electromyographic activity of the core muscles. This is an observational cross-sectional study composed of 30 males who practice physical activity. The amplitude of the electromyographic activation (Root Mean Square - RMS) of the rectus abdominis, external oblique, longissimus thoracis, multifidus muscles were evaluated during supine bridge, side plank and frontal plank exercises, performed with and without vibration (frequency: 50 Hz and amplitude: 4 mm). A significance level of 5% was assigned for all analyzes. Whole body vibration did not alter the amplitude of electromyographic activity for any of the evaluated muscle groups, showing no difference between the conditions with and without vibration during the performance of the proposed exercises. Under the conditions analyzed in this study, the vibrating platform does not change the activation amplitude of core muscles, suggesting that the use of whole body vibration is not necessary as an additional method to increase muscle activity during stabilization exercises in healthy men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the reliability of reporting and relationship between MRI parameters at injury and time to return to play (RTP) in first class cricket fast bowlers with side strain in Australia and England.Design: Cohort study.Methods: Eighty MRI scans of side strain injuries to 57 fast bowlers were sourced. Ten scans were reported by three experienced radiologists to determine intra- and inter-rater reliability. The relationship between six MRI parameters (muscle injured, presence of a muscle tear, rib level of injury, presence of blood fluid products/haematoma, periosteal stripping, rib oedema) and time to RTP was investigated with 39 scans reported by a single radiologist with known intra-rater reliability. The association between parameters and time to RTP was analysed with an ordinal logistic regression model.Results: Recovery time was prolonged with a mean of 39days (standard deviation: 14days) and 44% of bowlers requiring more than 6weeks to RTP. Reliability levels between parameters varied widely. The presence or absence of a muscle tear was the only MRI parameter associated with time to RTP. Players with a muscle tear were 8 times more likely to take more than 6weeks to RTP. The multifactorial model was predictive of recovery time in only 53% of this cohort, leaving 47% of total variance in time to RTP unexplained.Conclusions: The presence of a muscle tear was associated with time to RTP in cricket fast bowlers with side strain injury in first class cricket in Australia and England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three types of material meats were prepared from a so-called normal muscle part of white croaker ( Pennahia argentata ) containing 0, 4.2 and 8.4% of an abdominal muscle part. Thermally induced gels were then prepared from these materials by pre-heating at 65 °C for 30 or 60 min and subsequent heating at 85 °C for 20 min. The breaking strength and breaking strain rate of thermally induced gels decreased with increasing contamination levels of the abdominal muscle part, in which degradation of myosin heavy chains was observed. The proteolytic activity in the abdominal muscle part homogenate was highest at 62.5 °C. These results suggest that the abdominal muscle part contains proteases that induce the modori phenomenon. Technical experts assume that a contaminated abdominal muscle part leads to quality deterioration in surimi production industries. Our findings will aid the production of high-quality surimi-based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In Parkinson's disease (PD), abnormal postures are often accompanied, which interfere with rehabilitation and subsequent functional recovery. This study investigated the relationship between clinical characteristics and improvement in abnormal postures of PD patients who received subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS).Methods: Seventy-four PD patients were included in this study. Clinical data were analyzed using the patients' functional status at pre- and post-STN-DBS, including anteflexion vs. non-anteflexion, scoliosis vs. non-scoliosis, improved anteflexion vs. non-improved anteflexion, and improved scoliosis vs. non-improved scoliosis.Results: In patients with anteflexion, UPDRS III motor score at off medication was worse than that of patients with non-anteflexion. Patients with scoliosis presented with more comorbid spinal deformity and longer disease duration than those without scoliosis. Cobb angle of patients with asymmetrical psoas major and erector spinal muscles was more than that of patients without the asymmetry. Patients with improved anteflexion after STN-DBS had thicker abdominal oblique muscle and transverse abdominal muscle than those of patients without improved anteflexion. Patients with improved scoliosis were significantly younger at PD onset than those without improvement.Conclusions: There were only a few prognostic factors recognized in patients with improved postures. The thick abdominal muscle for anteflexion and younger PD onset for scoliosis were significant factors for improvement by STN-DBS. Rehabilitation designed to maintain muscle for correct postures may contribute to the amelioration of abnormal postures by STN-DBS, although multicenter trials are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the comparison between a Ki-hap, defined as a psyching-up technique, and verbal encouragement, defined as a verbal command by a third party, on abdominal muscle activation during performance of the crunch exercise in healthy participants. Ninety participants were randomly allocated to the following three groups: crunch only exercise group (CG, n 1 = 30), crunch exercise with Ki-hap group (CKG, n 2 = 30), and crunch exercise with Ki-hap and verbal encouragement group (CKVG, n 3 = 30). The interventions were conducted over three trials with each group, and measurements involving each participant, were performed by a single examiner. The activation of the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO) muscles were evaluated using electromyography (EMG) during performance of the crunch exercise by the CG, CKG, and CKVG. Our results showed a significantly greater increase in the EMG patterns of all muscles during performance of the crunch exercise in the CKG ( p < 0.05) compared to those in the CG and CKVG. The results also showed that there was a significantly greater increase in the activation of the EO and IO muscles in the CKVG ( p < 0.05) compared with that in the CG. These findings demonstrated that the addition of the Ki-hap technique and verbal encouragement, during performance of the crunch exercise, improves activation of the abdominal muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To provide an overview of the published literature on epidemiology, pathomechanics and risk factors for side strain injury in sport, complemented by clinical perspectives of diagnosis and management strategies that are not covered in the literature.Design: Narrative review METHODS: A review of the literature was completed with all studies on side strain up until October 2015 included. As the studies were unable to be synthesised the findings were placed in a clinical context. As there were no papers on the management of side strain a clinical perspective from cricket was included.Results: Literature on side strain in sport is sparse with only nine papers dedicated to the injury. These comprise epidemiology, case studies, small case series and clinical reviews on imaging, injection and surgery. The epidemiology demonstrates that side strain is most commonly associated with cricket and baseball. Side strain typically occurs acutely mostly on the side contralateral to the dominant arm in athletes. Diagnosis is clinical with consistent imaging features that typically demonstrate a tear of the internal oblique from the lower ribs. Recovery periods can be prolonged and recurrence may occur. There has been no research on the management of side strain and the relationship between clinical assessment and imaging findings and time to return to play or risk of recurrence.Conclusions: Side strain injury is prevalent in cricket and baseball. Recovery is extended and recurrence may occur. Incidence appears to be increasing. Knowledge on side strain is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study a computational finite element technique is proposed to simulate the mechanical response of muscles in the abdominal wall. This technique considers the active behavior of the tissue taking into account both collagen and muscle fiber directions. In an attempt to obtain the computational response as close as possible to real muscles, the parameters needed to adjust the mathematical formulation were determined from in vitro experimental tests. Experiments were conducted on male New Zealand White rabbits ( 2047 ± 34 g ) and the active properties of three different muscles: Rectus Abdominis , External Oblique and multi-layered samples formed by three muscles ( External Oblique , Internal Oblique , and Transversus Abdominis ) were characterized. The parameters obtained for each muscle were incorporated into a finite strain formulation to simulate active behavior of muscles incorporating the anisotropy of the tissue. The results show the potential of the model to predict the anisotropic behavior of the tissue associated to fibers and how this influences on the strain, stress and generated force during an isometric contraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, the authors investigate the passive viscoelastic properties of rabbit abdominal wall. In vitro strain relaxation tests were performed in the oblique muscle (in two perpendicular directions), the rectus abdominis and the linea alba in the longitudinal direction. Based on experimental data, a model for the viscoelastic mechanical properties of this tissue is presented here. In particular, we used a 3D non-linear viscoelastic model to fit data sets obtained from tissue of the rabbit abdominal wall. Uniaxial relaxation tests were carried out for samples obtained from the abdominal wall. The experimental results clearly demonstrate the anisotropy and nonlinearity of the abdominal tissue. The stress relaxation was higher in the transverse direction (closer to muscle fibers) with an average value of the final stress ratio of 48%, than in the longitudinal direction with around 56% of this ratio for the oblique muscle. These tests, at several stretch levels, presented a different behavior depending on the region where the tissue sample was located. There was no dependence between the stress relaxation ratio and the stretch level for the oblique muscles in their longitudinal or transverse directions . In contrast, for rectus abdominis and linea alba a dependence between the stress relaxation ratio and stretch level was found. Our study revealed an increase in the stress relaxation ratio for the rectus abdominis and a decrease for the linea alba with higher stretch levels . Overall good predictions were obtained with the model proposed for the oblique muscle (no dependence on the stretch level) and to reproduce the non-linear viscoelastic response of rectus abdominis and linea alba. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The abdominal muscles form part of the expiratory pump in cooperation with the other expiratory muscles, primarily the internal intercostal and triangularis sterni muscles. The discharge of abdominal muscles is divided into four main patterns: augmenting, plateau, spindle and decrementing. The patterns tend to be species-specific and dependent on the state of the central nervous system. Recent studies suggest that the abdominal muscles are more active than classically thought, even under resting conditions. Expiratory bulbospinal neurons (EBSN) in the caudal ventral respiratory group are the final output pathway to abdominal motoneurons in the spinal cord. Electrophysiological and anatomical studies indicated the excitatory monosynaptic inputs from EBSN to the abdominal motoneurons, although inputs from the propriospinal neurons seemed to be necessary to produce useful motor outputs. Respiration-related sensory modulation of expiratory neurons by vagal afferents that monitor the rate of change of lung volume and the end-expiratory lung volume (EELV) play a crucial role in modulating the drive to the abdominal musculature. Studies using in vitro and in situ preparations of neonatal and juvenile rats show bi-phasic abdominal activity, characterized by bursting at the end of expiration, a silent period during the inspiratory period, and another burst that occurs abruptly after inspiratory termination. Since the abdominal muscles rarely show these post-inspiratory bursts in the adult rat, the organization of the expiratory output pathway must undergo significant development alterations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Little is known about the impact of whole body vibration (WBV) training on trunk muscles. Thus, this study investigated the acute effects of WBV on back and abdominal muscle activity. Twenty-five healthy subjects (24.7±3.0years, 17 men) conducted eight common static exercises for the back and abdominal muscles in a random order on a vibration platform, with and without vibration. Surface EMG was measured from back and abdominal muscles. Vibration-induced motion artefacts were removed from the EMG signal. Muscle activity with and without vibration was normalized to maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and compared. The addition of vibration resulted in significant increases in muscle activity particularly in the exercises for the abdominal muscles of up to 7.2±5.5% MVC (median±semi-interquartile range). In the back muscles, the largest difference by adding vibration was 1.6±1.4% MVC (median±semi-interquartile range). The results of this study indicate a low to moderate increase in trunk muscle activation due to WBV. Presumably, this effect might depend on the distance from the corresponding muscle to the vibration platform and on how much the exercise position challenges body balance. However, the relevance of these findings has to be further investigated in training studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aims of this study are to experimentally characterize the passive elastic behaviour of the rabbit abdominal wall and to develop a mechanical constitutive law which accurately reproduces the obtained experimental results. For this purpose, tissue samples from New Zealand White rabbits 2150±50 (g) were mechanically tested in vitro. Mechanical tests, consisting of uniaxial loading on tissue samples oriented along the craneo–caudal and the perpendicular directions, respectively, revealed the anisotropic non-linear mechanical behaviour of the abdominal tissues. Experiments were performed considering the composite muscle (including external oblique-EO, internal oblique-IO and transverse abdominis-TA muscle layers), as well as separated muscle layers (i.e., external oblique, and the bilayer formed by internal oblique and transverse abdominis). Both the EO muscle layer and the IO–TA bilayer demonstrated a stiffer behaviour along the transversal direction to muscle fibres than along the longitudinal one. The fibre arrangement was measured by means of a histological study which confirmed that collagen fibres are mainly responsible for the passive mechanical strength and stiffness. Furthermore, the degree of anisotropy of the abdominal composite muscle turned out to be less pronounced than those obtained while studying the EO and IO–TA separately. Moreover, a phenomenological constitutive law was used to capture the measured experimental curves. A Levenberg–Marquardt optimization algorithm was used to fit the model constants to reproduce the experimental curves. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: The present study investigated the effect of 2 different lumbar spine postures, neutral and flexed lumbar postures, on transversus abdominis (TrA) muscle function during a voluntary contraction (hollowing and draw-in maneuver) in people with and without low back pain (LBP). Methods: Thirty participants with LBP and 30 healthy participants were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Transversus abdominis muscle function was measured as a change in thickness with ultrasound imaging. Participants performed voluntary TrA contraction in a supine lying position with the lumbar spine in neutral and flexed postures. Data were analyzed using a 2-way (groups, postures) analysis of variance. Results: Lumbar posture influenced TrA function during a voluntary contraction in people with and without LBP. There was a significant main effect of posture (F1,58 = 16.140, P < .001). Neutral lumbar posture improved participants'' ability to recruit TrA in both group (mean difference, 7.5%; 95% confidence interval, 3.8%-11.3%). No significant differences were found between healthy subjects and those with LBP. Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that, in subjects performing a voluntary TrA contraction, the neutral lumbar posture improves the ability to increase change in TrA thickness. This study found no significant difference in TrA thickness change between healthy subjects and those with nonspecific LBP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The study investigated the potential for stimulation of both motor cortices during transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to evoke abdominal muscle responses. Electromyographic activity (EMG) of transversus abdominis (TrA) was recorded bilaterally in eleven healthy volunteers using fine-wire electrodes. TMS at 120% motor threshold (MT) was delivered at rest and during 10% activation at 1cm intervals from the midline to 5cm lateral, along a line 2cm anterior to the vertex. The optimal site to evoke responses in TrA is located 2cm lateral to the vertex. When bilateral abdominal responses were evoked at or lateral to this site, onset of ipsilateral motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were ∼3–4ms longer than contralateral MEPs. The difference between latencies is consistent with activation of faster crossed-, and slower uncrossed-corticospinal pathways from one hemisphere. However, latencies of MEPs were similar between sides when stimulation was applied more medially and were consistent with concurrent activation of crossed corticospinal tracts on both sides. The findings suggest that stimulation of both motor cortices is possible when TMS is delivered less than 2cm from midline. Concurrent stimulation of both motor cortices can be minimised if TMS is delivered at least 2cm lateral to midline. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The use of electromyographic signals in the modeling of muscle forces and joint loads requires an assumption of the relationship between EMG and muscle force. This relationship has been studied for the trunk musculature and been shown to be predominantly non-linear, with more EMG producing less torque output at higher levels of activation. However, agonist–antagonist muscle co-activation is often substantial during trunk exertions, yet has not been adequately accounted for in determining such relationships. The purpose of this study was to revisit the EMG–moment relationship of the trunk recognizing the additional moment requirements necessitated due to antagonist muscle activity. Eight participants generated a series of isometric ramped trunk flexor and extensor moment contractions. EMG was recorded from 14 torso muscles, and the externally resisted moment was calculated. Agonist muscle moments (either flexor or extensor) were estimated from an anatomically detailed biomechanical model of the spine and fit to: the externally calculated moment alone; the externally calculated moment combined with the antagonist muscle moment. When antagonist activity was ignored, the EMG–moment relationship was found to be non-linear, similar to previous work. However, when accounting for the additional muscle torque generated by the antagonist muscle groups, the relationships became, in three of the four conditions, more linear. Therefore, it was concluded that antagonist muscle co-activation must be included when determining the EMG–moment relationship of trunk muscles and that previous impressions of non-linear EMG–force relationships should be revisited. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study addresses the interaction between Ehrlich ascites tumor and skeletal abdominal muscle, presenting quantitative analysis of ascites-induced angiogenesis and inflammation in this tissue of mice bearing-tumor. Time-dependent changes in the muscle (cellular activity, angiogenesis, inflammation and cytokines production) were assessed by morphometric, functional, and biochemical parameters at days 1, 4 and 8 after i.p. inoculation of Ehrlich tumor cells (2.5×107). The number of cells stained with AgNOR technique (argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region) in the muscle, together with MTS assay used as markers of cellular activity increased progressively in parallel with the out flow rate of sodium fluorescein (blood flow index), hemoglobin content (vascular index) and VEGF production. Likewise, the inflammatory process in the muscle, as assessed by myeloperoxidase (MPO) and n-acethylglucosaminidase (NAG) activities and the levels of the chemokines, keratinocyte-derived chemokine (CXC1-3/KC) and macrophage-chemoattractant protein (CCL2/MCP-1) increased with tumor development. The combination of techniques used to describe angiogenesis and inflammation in a muscle model system has proved to be suited for quantitative measurements of microvascular changes and cellular infiltration occurring in the abdominal muscle wall of ascites-bearing mice. This study holds potential for investigating events and mechanisms associated with skeletal muscle response to neoplasic stimulus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Previous transneuronal tracing studies conducted in the ferret revealed that a large population of neurons that provides inputs to diaphragm and abdominal motoneurons is located in the ventral magnocellular portion of the medial medullary reticular formation. These observations raise the possibility that the neural substrate underlying respiratory rhythmogenesis may be different in the ferret than in other species in which this circuitry has been explored. In the present study, systematic tracking was conducted through the ferret medulla to map the locations of neurons with activity related to the contractions of respiratory muscles. As in the cat, rat, and rabbit, neurons with respiratory-related discharges were distributed either lateral or ventrolateral to the solitary nucleus (dorsal respiratory group) or in the vicinity of nucleus retroambigualis, nucleus ambiguus and the retrofacial nucleus (ventral respiratory group). Although the general organization of respiratory group neurons appeared to be similar in the ferret to that in other mammals, a difference was that few expiratory neurons were located rostrally in the ventral respiratory group. These data suggest that the ventral magnocellular medullary reticular formation is not essential for respiratory rhythm generation, at least during quiet breathing, but may participate in regulating the excitability of respiratory motoneurons or in coordinating the contractions of respiratory muscles during nonrespiratory responses (e.g. coughing or emesis). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Together, three abdominal wall muscles (external oblique, internal oblique and transversus abdominis) form a tightly bound muscular sheet that has been likened to a composite-laminate structure. Previous work has demonstrated the ability of force generated by these three muscles to be passed between one another through connective tissue linkages. Muscle fibres in each muscle are obliquely oriented with respect to its neighbouring muscles. It is proposed here is that this unique morphology of the abdominal wall muscles functions, through the application of constraining forces amongst the muscles, to increase force- and stiffness-generating capabilities. This paper presents a mathematical formulation of the stress–strain relationship for a transversely isotropic fibrous composite, and establishes a strengthening and stiffening effect when stress can be transferred between the fibrous layers. Application of empirical mechanical properties to this formulation demonstrates this effect for the abdominal wall muscles and, in greater proportion, for the anterior aponeurosis of the abdominal wall. This has implications for increasing the stiffness and passive load bearing ability of the abdominal wall muscles, and has the potential to modulate the whole muscle force–length and force–velocity relationships during contraction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective. The purpose of this study was to establish a reliable method for measuring transversus abdominis thickness in asymptomatic human subjects in supine lying, standing and walking.Design and methods. This was a single operator reliability study using ultrasound imaging to measure 22 subjects on three separate occasions. A purpose built high-density foam reinforced belt was used to house and position the transducer over the mid-point of the transversus abdominis. Each subject was imaged in supine, standing, and treadmill walking at 3 kph. Intraclass correlation coefficients and standard error of measurement analysis were used to measure the data.Results. The correlation coefficient data analysis resulted in intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.94 (standard error of measurement 0.35) in supine lying, 0.88 (0.66) in standing and 0.88 (0.56) in walking.Conclusion. The method described is a reliable tool for measuring changes in thickness of transversus abdominis in supine lying, standing and walking.RelevanceThis procedure has the potential to detect dysfunctional changes in abdominal muscle activity for patients with low back pain in a functional setting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]