Transversus abdominus muscle (TrA) and internal oblique muscle (IO) increase when lung volume decreases

Did you know that the thickness of the transversus abdominus muscle (TrA) and internal oblique muscle (IO) increase when lung volume decreases? This can be perfectly measured with musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS). The intra- and inter-rater reliability of an average measure were excellent at the end of relaxed expiration, full inspiration and full expiration. This knowledge provides new opportunities to evaluate the deep abdominal muscles, and their role in problems of the respiratory system, lower back and pelvic floor problems, functional rehabilitation, but also in professional singing and playing wind instruments.
SonoSkills has cowritten a recently published article about this topic (Amerijckx et al. 2019).
The DOI number is https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msksp.2019.102105 .
Our article may help you when using MSKUS for diagnostic, biofeedback or rehabilitative purposes.