Laboratory work: “Measuring chest circumference during inhalation and exhalation”

Separation of the rectus abdominis muscles, or diastasis, is a common problem affecting mostly women. According to statistics, 70-100% of women develop this pathology in the third trimester of pregnancy. Normally, after childbirth, the structures should return to their original position, but in approximately 30% of cases this does not happen. A gap remains between the muscle tissues, which causes a bulging, flabby abdomen and provokes more serious consequences. That is why it is important to know how to determine diastasis of the abdominal muscles at home, which doctor can help, and what treatment methods modern medicine offers.

What is diastasis

To understand this concept, it is necessary to briefly outline the structural features of the abdominal muscles. In the center of the abdomen is the rectus muscle. It begins in the lower abdomen and extends to the pubic bone. Consists of two sections that are connected in the center by loose fabric. This connective tissue is called the linea alba.

As a result of prolonged and strong tension of muscle structures, intra-abdominal pressure increases. Weak tissues of the white line cannot withstand the load and begin to diverge. At the same time, the distance between the sections of the rectus muscle increases, they diverge to the sides and move several centimeters away from each other. A kind of furrow is formed, and when tense, the stomach protrudes unnaturally. Pathological discrepancy can form under the navel, above it, or have a mixed form.

The pathology should not be confused with a hernia of the white line or with an umbilical protrusion. It does not threaten to infringe on internal organs. But at the same time, even at an early stage it represents an aesthetic problem, since diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle is much more often determined in women than in men.

Depending on the degree of discrepancy and the size of the formed distance, diastasis is divided into three degrees:

• first - the distance between sections is from 2.5 to 5 cm;
• second - the discrepancy reaches a gap of 5-8 cm;
• third - the size of the furrow between the sections exceeds 8 cm.

This classification allows you to understand how to determine the degree of muscle diastasis even at home.

Pathology can also affect other muscle structures of the anterior abdominal wall. Depending on what surrounding tissues are involved in the process, four types of diastasis are distinguished:

• A - classic form, in which only the rectus muscle diverges;
• B - loss of tone in the inferolateral muscle sections;
• C - appearance of expansion in the area of ​​the xiphoid process, ribs;
• D - curvature of the waist line.

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Laboratory work: “Measuring chest circumference during inhalation and exhalation”

Laboratory work

in biology

on the topic of:

"Measuring chest circumference

able

inhalation and exhalation"

Topic: Measuring chest circumference during inhalation and exhalation

Plan:

1 . Using a measuring tape, measure the circumference of your chest.

2. Excursion of the chest.

Equipment:

tape measure.

Progress:

Breathing is a vital process. Over the course of a lifetime, a person inhales 380 thousand m3 of air. For 1 hour of sleep - 15 - 20 liters of air, during physical work - 45 - 60 liters of air, during hard work - up to 120 liters of air.

Before determining the chest circumference, I would like to pay attention to such calculations as anthropometric standards and indicators.

Anthropometric standards are averaged by sex and age. Deviations from them of 10 cm are allowed. Measuring chest circumference should take into account the peculiarities of a person’s constitutional make-up. (If you are going to measure the circumference, you should remember that the anterior-posterior and transverse dimensions normally differ from person to person.

How to measure volume:

1. stand up straight and bring your breathing back to normal. Spread your arms to the sides. Ask people around you to use a measuring tape to measure your chest, hips, waist, etc.;
2. a man's chest circumference is normally between 85-92 cm. The measurement is taken between the angle of the shoulder blades at the back and the lower edge of the nipples of the mammary glands;
3. You should first measure the distance as you inhale, and then as you exhale as much as possible. With normal lung excursion, the thoracic volume can expand by 5 to 10 cm. However, the excursion also depends on the structure of the body.

1 . Using a measuring tape, measure the circumference of your chest.

rice. Chest measurement

Inhalation measurement.

The subject is asked to take a deep breath. You can’t strain your muscles and don’t raise your shoulders. Exhalation measurement. The subject is asked to take a deep breath. Don't droop your shoulders, don't slouch.

Exhalation measurement.

The subject is asked to take a deep breath.

Don't droop your shoulders, don't slouch. Normally, the difference in chest circumference in a state of deep inspiration and in a state of deep exhalation in adults is 6-9 cm.

2. Determine chest excursion

Chest measurement

The difference in the circumference of the chest at the height of inhalation and exhalation reflects the mobility of the chest, which is more correctly called the excursion of the chest during breathing.

The excursion of the chest is equal to the difference between the circumference of the chest during inhalation and the circumference of the chest during exhalation.

The formula for calculating this indicator is as follows.

Excursion gr. cells = circumference gr. cells on exhalation (cm) - circumference gr. cells during inspiration (cm).

The result obtained is evaluated as follows:

if the difference is 4 cm or less, this is a low level of physical development;

if it is 5-9 cm – average level;

if 10 cm or more – high level.

Having done this laboratory work, I received the following results: with a deep inhalation 90 cm, with a quiet exhalation 83 cm, and the difference in the chest circumferences at the height of inhalation and exhalation, which is called the excursion of the chest, is at an average level and is equal to 7 cm. I also learned that the respiratory cycle consists of inhalation and exhalation. They rhythmically follow each other. The volume of the lungs either increases or decreases. There is no muscle tissue in the lungs. The lungs stretch passively, following the movement of the walls of the chest cavity.

These breathing movements are performed with the help of the respiratory muscles - these are the external and internal intercostal muscles and the diaphragm. In the state of exhalation, the chest circumference decreases, as the chest descends and the diaphragm acquires its normal state; when inhaling, on the contrary, the lungs are filled with oxygen, the chest rises, and accordingly, the chest circumference increases

Suturing of diastasis

Diastasis is a condition in which the distance between the rectus abdominis muscles increases. There are two methods of performing the operation - tension and non-tension. The rehabilitation period is relatively easy. At first there is swelling, hematomas, and pain. The first ones gradually go away on their own, and the pain is relieved with a drug prescribed by the doctor. Cost of the operation:
from 170,000 rubles Make an appointment with a doctor

More about the operation

Causes of abdominal muscle diastasis

The main reason for the discrepancy is the excessively high pressure that occurs in the abdominal cavity. At the same time, the prerequisites for increased intra-abdominal fluid are of different nature. These include:

• Loss of muscle elasticity as a result of rapid weight loss.
• Excessive physical activity.
• Dysplasia is the abnormal development of tissues and organs. In addition to diastasis, it is accompanied by many additional manifestations: hernia, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, etc.
• Pregnancy. As a result of hormonal changes, collagen production is reduced, tissues lose elasticity and become loose. At the same time, the enlarged uterus significantly increases pressure on weakened muscle structures and the linea alba.

In 60% of cases, diastasis in women is associated with pregnancy. Pathology begins to develop in the middle of the second trimester. It is at this time that the muscles are stretched under the influence of increasing abdominal pressure. Normally, after childbirth, the uterus restores its previous size, and the width of the white line returns to its normal value of up to 2 cm.

However, in many cases, the recovery process is complicated by concomitant factors that prevent the tissues from returning to their previous position. These factors include:

• mature age of the woman in labor;
• excess weight before and during pregnancy;
• the fruit is too large;
• number of previous pregnancies and births;
• type of pregnancy (one fetus or several);
• complications during pregnancy;
• too rapid return to active physical activity after childbirth.

Diastasis can also occur in children, especially premature babies. The key prerequisite for the development of pathology is the failure of the child’s muscles and tendons. In this case, most often the defect is eliminated on its own during the first year of the baby’s life. During this period of time, the muscles acquire tone, the ligaments become strong. Only children with Down syndrome are at risk of maintaining the discrepancy.

In only 1.5% of cases, diastasis is diagnosed in men. The basic prerequisites are the same as for women: obesity, dysplasia, sudden weight loss. Also, men are more likely to be overly involved in strength training, which not only causes hernias and varicose veins, but also provokes the formation of diastasis.

Concept of GC excursion

Chest excursion refers to dynamic functional anthropometric indicators. Static indicators include a form that is divided into several types:

• Normosthenic - the correct ratio of the width and height of the anatomical region.
• Asthenic - the height of the anatomical region predominates, it occurs in tall, thin people.
• Hypersthenic - the width of the anatomical region prevails over the height, it happens in stocky people.
• Emphysematous - a pathological type, characterized by a barrel-shaped shape, occurs against the background of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Paralytic type - the shape of the chest resembles the asthenic form, but develops as a result of exhaustion of the human body, which is called cachexia and occurs with tuberculosis and oncological pathology.
• Rachitic or keeled breasts mainly occur in children when the metabolism of calcium salts is impaired due to insufficient intake of vitamin D.

Knowledge of static anthropometry is necessary to correctly assess the results of measuring the indicator, since they will differ depending on the shape.

Signs of abdominal muscle diastasis

For a long time, the pathology has an asymptomatic course. Manifestations increase as the discrepancy develops and complications appear. And if in women the signs of diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles are maximally manifested after pregnancy and childbirth, then in men - only when the pathology is already in an advanced state.

The main and most noticeable manifestation of the pathology is a rounded vertical protrusion of the abdomen. If you deliberately tense your abdominal muscles, a groove between the right and left halves of the body becomes visible. At the same time, in men, even with intense strength training, the abs are not sufficiently worked out and do not acquire the desired relief.

If the disease progresses, the pathological structure of muscle tissue and disturbances in muscle function become the cause of other, more dangerous characteristic manifestations. There are:

• pain in the spine, lower back;
• posture disorders;
• increased fatigue;
• dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, which is accompanied by heartburn, belching, pain, constipation, flatulence.

At the third stage of the pathology, dangerous complications are possible, which manifest themselves in the form of:

• ptosis, prolapse of internal organs;
• intestinal obstruction;
• urinary incontinence;
• renal colic;
• feeling of heaviness in the legs while walking;
• muscle atrophy in the abdominal area.

How does a doctor determine the presence of diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle?

If any of the listed symptoms appear, as well as if there are predisposing factors such as recent pregnancy and childbirth or increased physical activity, you should consult a doctor for examination. You can’t delay your visit; it’s better to see a specialist for prevention than to wait until dangerous complications appear.

Many people do not know which doctor determines the presence of diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles. You need to contact a surgeon. In most cases, an experienced specialist will be able to determine the pathology using only palpation examination.

For diagnosis, the patient lies on his back, slightly bends his knees and rests his feet on the surface. After this, the surgeon asks you to tighten your abdominal muscles. At the same time, you need to raise your shoulder blades and head. The doctor feels the abdomen, measures the width of the discrepancy, and determines the presence and stage of the pathology. In this case, pronounced diastasis of the third degree is noticeable even in a standing position.

In some cases, the study of the width of the white line is complicated by excess body weight. The doctor refers such patients for an ultrasound examination. This procedure is also prescribed if there is a suspicion of the development of complications: hernial protrusions, displacement of internal organs. In rare cases, radiography or computed tomography is necessary.

How to determine the presence of abdominal muscle diastasis yourself

Diastasis can be determined at home. A simple test will help you do this, during which you need to measure the distance between the edges of the rectus muscle.

To do this, you need to lie on your back on a hard surface, bend your knees. Place one hand under your head and the other on the white line, just above your navel. Then you should relax and raise your chest. In this case, you need to feel the discrepancy between the muscles with your fingertips. The gap is most pronounced between the navel and the xiphoid process. If the discrepancy is greater than the width of two fingers, this should alert you and be a reason to contact a specialist.

This technique is as similar as possible to the approach that a surgeon uses for diagnosis. This is the easiest way to determine diastasis at home without the help of a doctor and instrumental examinations.

Excursion of the chest (Georgy Funtikov)

A long time ago, in one of the first books I read about strength training, I learned about such a concept as chest excursion. This book explained and argued that excursion is an indicator of athleticism.

Chest excursion is the difference in chest circumference between inhalation and exhalation. Measuring it is very simple - take a centimeter, then exhale as much as possible and measure the circumference of the chest, then take a powerful breath and measure again. Subtract the less from the greater - the resulting difference is the excursion of the chest (along the nipples or directly under the pectoral muscles - it does not matter, since the difference is important).

The excursion is an indirect indicator of the athlete’s fitness. It has been established that with years of intensive training, the excursion increases. Take a centimeter now - if your excursion is equal to or greater than 10 cm, then you do not need to worry - you are athletic and quite trained.

Among those tested, short-distance swimmers and sprinters are among the first in the table of ranks - their chest excursion reaches 20 cm!!! Behind them, oddly enough, come the wrestlers - even for beginner young wrestlers, the excursion exceeds 10 cm. This data can be easily found in any sports dispensary, which in Soviet times served a huge army of athletes - from children to world champions.

However, these dispensaries do not have any data on powerlifters, much less bodybuilders. I tried to fill this gap on my own - I tried on all the security officials I knew from KMS to MSMK. The results turned out to be the most depressing... for swimmers, spinners and wrestlers - for athletes of the MSMC and MS levels, the chest excursion exceeded the average excursion of swimmers by 1.7 cm! Imagine, if we take chest excursion as a criterion for athleticism, then the law of large numbers says that powerlifters are the most athletic! This conclusion made me very happy. I think it will also please you, my dear fellow hardware users.

Almost all security forces at the MSMK level have a chest excursion of about 20 cm - and this is a super-grandmaster figure.

It is logical to assume that there is a connection between the excursion and the level of skill, and therefore athleticism. Those whose excursion is 10 centimeters will want to increase it to 15. And those who are the proud owner of a 15 cm excursion are probably eager to raise it to 20 cm! The question arises - how to do this...

How to do it…

It is quite enough to combine deep squats and bench press with a wide grip. These exercises are recommended by everyone... they are universal... they are also universal for enlarging the chest.

• Bench press - the grip should be slightly wider than average, the shoulder blades should be brought together, the trapezius should rest against the bench and bend in the lower back, the buttocks only touch the bench - the main support is your feet and trapezius. As you lower the barbell to your chest, try to push your chest up as much as possible, inhale to the fullest power of your lungs, squeeze your shoulder blades together - open your chest so that it becomes wider than your front door...

Remember about the psychological side - imagine that instead of a chest you have a blacksmith's bellows, and your hands are hydraulic drives... you have no equal in power... inhale - a powerful breakdown... inhale - a powerful breakdown...

• Squats - Squat as you usually do, just focus on proper breathing.

Before you rush down, take a powerful breath and push your chest forward. If the main thing for you is a barrel chest, and not a big squat, then put the weight less and draw air into your lungs at the very bottom - in a deep “squat”.

• The dumbbell press is an exercise that seems to have been specially invented to enlarge the chest.

Take heavy dumbbells, imagine a blacksmith machine - your lungs are bellows, and your arms are hydraulically driven. Lower the dumbbells slowly and fill your lungs with air as you lower. When you feel like your lungs are ready to explode from oxygen, press the dumbbells up sharply

• Pullover is a favorite exercise of bodybuilders. If you are haunted by the manic idea of ​​enlarging your chest, then this exercise will help you. Its meaning is in a sufficiently large number of repetitions - from 8 to 25. The benches should only touch your trapezius and the center of your back - bend as much as possible.

The most important thing is to get as much air as possible into your lungs while pulling the dumbbell (barbell) back behind your head. The exercise is quite traumatic, so you should not chase too much weight - pay more attention to the purity of the movement.

These four exercises are the most effective, so I won't go into an endless list. The excursion can always be trained - the main thing is that your lungs are actively working - inhalation should be done with maximum stretching of the shoulder girdle and chest.

If you want to be an athlete, and not a 160-kilogram pig-like Anthony Clark (with all due respect, his body does not inspire aesthetic delight), then you should not forget about aerobic exercise. Aero means the air that you push through your lungs, and therefore train them, increases the mobility of the chest. Try to unload in the pool 1-2 times a week - swim several sprint distances. Don't be afraid of losing those hard-earned grams of muscle mass - if you lose weight from 20-30 minutes of swimming, then your muscles are worthless... Increase your daily calories and everything will be fine. Try to run for 20-30 minutes 2-3 times a week in a sprint-marathon mixed manner. Personally, I prefer pedaling an exercise bike - it’s safer for my knees...

The most important thing, even while running, do not forget that your lungs are a blacksmith’s bellows...

Pros:

• a large excursion will allow you to significantly reduce the amplitude of the press - 10-20 kg is a good increase
• a big excursion equals good lungs, and good lungs equals strength endurance
• barrel-shaped chest will inspire awe and delight in those around you

Minuses:

• I'll have to make a custom-made jacket...

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How to remove diastasis

The treatment regimen for the pathology depends on the stage of its development and the degree of manifestation. At the first stage, it is enough to follow the doctor’s recommendations, which will help strengthen the muscles of the abdominal wall and reduce their discrepancy:

• reduce weight to normal levels;
• maintain a balanced diet with limited consumption of fatty and sweet foods;
• adhere to the daily fluid intake;
• wear a bandage that supports the stomach;
• undergo massage and other physical procedures;
• do swimming, yoga, Pilates or physical therapy.

Physical therapy should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. He creates a program with the correct load level. Particular attention is paid to the deep transverse and oblique abdominal muscles, which, with an appropriate level of tone, reduce the degree of stretching of the linea alba.

A set of therapeutic exercises is useful even for pregnant women. With its help, you can prevent the development of pathology and speed up the process of postpartum recovery of the body.

Such training takes place without straining the abdominal muscles. It is also not recommended to do exercises while standing, including on your knees or elbows. Such loads are permissible only after restoration of the normal width of the lumen.

In later stages, the discrepancy can no longer be corrected with exercise or massage. Surgical intervention is necessary to return the muscle corset to its place and relieve complications and symptoms. It could be:

• Tensionplasty using patient tissue. The surgeon removes excess connective tissue and stitches the edges of the muscles together. This method is the least preferable, since relapses occur quite often after it.
• Tension plastic using a prosthesis. It involves the same removal of excess tissue and suturing of muscle layers, but is accompanied by additional strengthening using a mesh polypropylene prosthesis.
• Tension-free plastic surgery with installation of a prosthesis. An endoprosthesis is inserted under the stretched area, which serves as a barrier and replaces the weakened structures.
• Combined approach. It involves a combination of tension and non-tension plastic surgery.

The specialist selects the surgical method taking into account the characteristics and degree of development of the pathology, as well as individual factors and the patient’s health status. Full recovery after the intervention occurs within 1 to 3 months. At this time, it is necessary to avoid excess tension, adhere to a diet and wear a special bandage that relieves stress from the operated muscle structures.

How to measure the indicator

Determining the indicator is a simple undertaking that does not require special equipment or skills. To do this, you need to take several measurements and calculate the difference between them:

• Circle during inhalation - the patient faces the examiner and raises his arms. A centimeter cage is applied so that on the back it runs at the angle of the shoulder blades. The person is asked to take a deep breath, after which the circumference is measured.
• Circumference during exhalation - the sequence of actions is the same, but the measurement is carried out during the person’s maximum exhalation.

The result is calculated using a formula by subtracting the chest circumference during exhalation from the value obtained during inhalation. Also, during breathing movements, a visual inspection is carried out, which makes it possible to determine asymmetry. Normally, all areas should move equally on both sides. If it is noticeable that any part moves asymmetrically, the presence of a pathological process cannot be excluded, including those associated with the appearance of a space-occupying formation in the lungs. Separately, attention is paid to a possible change in shape, which is called deformation and often occurs after injuries, including fractures of bone structures, dislocations of various joints, mainly the girdle of the upper extremities, as well as sprains.

By measuring the excursion and examining the chest, it is possible to determine the types of breathing.

• Thoracic - occurs mainly in women, characterized by the fact that the intercostal muscles are more involved in the act of breathing. During inhalation, the ribs rise and the lungs increase in volume.
• Abdominal - typical for men, the diaphragm is predominantly involved in the act of breathing, the dome of which flattens during inhalation, and the abdomen and lungs increase in volume. In young men, thoracic breathing may predominate, which becomes abdominal breathing with age.
• Mixed type - the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm are equally involved in the act of breathing. It occurs mainly in older people, less often in adolescents, regardless of gender.

The chest type of breathing has the least effect on the volume of the abdomen, which is physiologically justified. This is due to the fact that in a pregnant woman, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the diaphragm from below, preventing it from flattening.

The type of breathing affects the excursion. Women usually have more than men.

Prevention of diastasis

To reduce the risk of developing pathology, it is extremely important to systematically follow preventive recommendations. To do this you need:

• adhere to a proper balanced diet;
• lead an active lifestyle, walk more;
• strengthen all muscle groups, especially the muscle structures of the abdomen and lumbar region;
• eliminate excessive physical activity;
• do not lift weights, especially for women;
• strengthen the diaphragm;
• monitor your weight and prevent obesity.

During pregnancy, you need to use special oils, creams, ointments that increase the elasticity and firmness of tissues. After childbirth, it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the press in order to detect pathology in a timely manner and, if necessary, seek help from a doctor before complications develop. Treatment of the initial stages of discrepancy is successful and does not require excessive effort from the patient.