Functional Tests of the Abdominal Wall Muscles in Normal Subjects and in Patients with Diastasis and Oblique Inguinal Hernias in a Pilot Study.

Objectives: To identify typical patterns of abdominal wall muscle activation in patients with diastasis recti and inguinal hernias compared to controls during the Valsalva maneuver, voluntary coughing, and physical activity.

Methods: The study included 15 subjects: 5 with diastasis recti, 4 with inguinal hernias, and 6 healthy controls. The functions of rectus abdominis (RA) and external oblique (OE) muscles were measured by surface electromyography (sEMG).