Real-Time Ultrasound in Abdominal Muscles

- by Becky Keller, PT Pelvic Rehab Practitioner Certified, Low-Pressure Fitness Certified & LPF MasterCoach

Case

It’s amazing we now have this ability available to us to see the muscles working in real-time with this wireless ultrasound.

Watch the difference between the “Active TA” contraction and the abdominal vacuum maneuver (aka #stomachvacuum or diaphragm vacuum) ⠀

The Transversus abdominis (TrA), the deepest layer of our muscular abdominal wall is like a corset muscle, wrapping around our core canister. When viewing the lateral abdominal wall on ultrasound we see a sliding (or pulling around to the back) and thickening of the muscle as it contracts. ⠀

Notice an active contraction (as the common cue of “drawing the low belly in and up like zipping on a tight pair of pants). But notice how much more we get from the abdominal vacuum maneuver. Performed after you exhale the air, close, and glottis then “open the ribs” to create a plungering effect from the diaphragm. ⠀

See we are all connected with fascia and it’s this fascia that allows muscles to work in groups, change pull or tension on structures of our body, and it’s a push/pull/tension/recoil between soft tissue and bony structures of our body. ⠀

The abdominal vacuum and magic between the respiratory diaphragm and the deep system stabilizers (TA and pelvic floor) is what allows for more complete activation of these areas and helps with things like toning the complete abdominal wall (slimming the waistline), helping with the lift of #pelvicorganprolapse and the return of abdominal tone and reduction of #diastasisrecti after pregnancy or surgery! ⠀

Conclusion

This ultimate breath technique and diaphragm challenge is part of Low-Pressure Fitness hypopressives…a complete full-body postural, breath, and core training system! Train from the inside out.