Abstract:Objective To observe the effect of abdominal hollowing exercise (AHE) through real-time ultrasound imaging feedback on transverse abdominis (TrA) muscle activation and diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) after postpartum. Methods From December 2021 to July 2022, 62 patients with DRA more than 20 mm treated in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University were selected and randomly divided into experimental group and control group. The real-time ultrasound imaging feedback for AHE was performed in experimental group, and conventional feedback for AHE was given in control group. The treatment lasted for four weeks in both groups. Before treatment and after 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment, the abdominal circumference (AC) was measured, and the abdominal muscle thickness and inter-recti distance(IRD) were measured by high-frequency ultrasound to calculate AC difference and the activation degree of TrA muscle. Results Compared with those in control group, the activation degree of TrA muscle significantly increased, and AC reduced in experimental group after 2 weeks of treatment (P＜0.05). Compared with those in control group, in experimental group, IRD became smaller ［（18.02±4.82）mm vs (20.36±4.13）mm, P＜0.05］, and the static TrA muscle thickness ［(3.21±0.59)mm vs (2.91±0.51)mm, P＜0.05］ and the dynamic TrA muscle thickness ［(5.16±0.86)mm vs (4.54±0.70)mm, P＜0.05］ significantly increased after 4 weeks of treatment. Conclusions AHE based on real-time ultrasound feedback can promote the activation of TrA muscle and an increase in thickness of TrA muscle, which may be conducive to the recovery of the postpartum patients with diastasis recti abdominis.