Diastasis of Direct Abdominal Muscles - Manifestation of Vitamin D Deficient Myopathy

Overview

The author's long-term experience in pediatric and rehabilitation practice has shown that cases of diastasis ofdirect abdominal muscles in linea alba are not isolated. The defect occurs most often in cases of vitaminDdeficiencyin childhood as well as in adult age, as a manifestation of rachitic or poromalacic myopathy with weakenedmuscular and ligamentary tissues. In most of 297 patients in our dispensary who were affected by diastasis duringfour years (2000 - 2003), there were simultaneously signs of rachitis of thorax, spine or on lower extremities,indicating vitamin D deficiency during childhood.The weakened anterior wall of the belly resulting from diastasis becomes the cause of muscular dysbalance inthe beginning and subsequently into lumbar vertebropathy (vertebral affection), especially due to other aggravatingfactors, e.g., acrobatism, heavy physical work or pregnancy.The treatment of diastasis in early childhood, specialized therapy by vitamin D and therapeutic exercise couldcontribute not only to prevention of abdominal protrusion, but also decreased incidence of invalidating vertebropathiesin adult age.

Key words:
diastatis of direct abdominal muscles, rachitic etiopathogenesis, prevention in childhood, supplementationwith vitamin D