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Correlations of the rectus abdominis muscle anatomy with anthropometric measurements

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Abstract

Purpose

The anterior abdominal muscle wall has a strong aesthetic connotation, primarily because of the classical anatomical description of the rectus abdominis muscle in the collective consciousness. However, the morphological reality of the general population considerably deviates from this description. Therefore, we investigated the anthropometric characteristics correlated with the anatomy of the rectus abdominis muscle.

Methods

We performed a computed tomography scan anatomical study of recti abdominis muscles in 86 patients with no history of abdominal surgery. We noted the transverse and anteroposterior measurements of the rectus abdominis muscle, the transverse measurement of the linea alba, and the cutaneous and muscular abdominal perimeters. We compared these morphological elements with anthropometric data (sex, age, weight, height, and body mass index [BMI]).

Results

BMI was positively correlated with cutaneous abdominal perimeter (r = 0.89, p < 0.001) and muscular abdominal perimeter (r = 0.7, p < 0.001). The correlation of BMI with cutaneous abdominal perimeter was not influenced by sex (r = 0.90 and r = 0.89 in men and women, respectively). The correlation of BMI with muscular abdominal perimeter was greater in men than in women (r = 0.80 vs. r = 0.75). The muscular abdominal perimeter was more strongly correlated with the transverse measurement of the rectus abdominis muscle in men than in women (r = 0.75 vs. r = 0.59). The muscular abdominal perimeter was more strongly correlated with the linea alba in women than in men (r = 0.51 vs. r = 0.31).

Conclusion

The anatomy of the anterior abdominal wall correlated with anthropometric data, including BMI. Rectus abdominis muscles and linea alba structures differed between men and women.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Prof. Jacques Monteil and the Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Limoges, France, for allowing us to access the 18-FDG TEP/CT imaging.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Anatomie, Department of Human Anatomy, University of Limoges Faculty of Medicine, 2, Rue du Docteur Marcland, 87025, Limoges, France

    Fabien Fredon, Jérémy Hardy, Mélanie Germain, Emma Vincent-Viry, Christian Mabit, Denis Valleix & Sylvaine Durand-Fontanier

  2. Visceral Surgery Department, Limoges University Hospital, CHU Dupuytren, 2, Avenue Martin-Luther-King, 87000, Limoges, France

    Fabien Fredon, Abdelkader Taïbi, Denis Valleix & Sylvaine Durand-Fontanier

  3. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Limoges University Hospital, CHU Dupuytren, 2, Avenue Martin-Luther-King, 87000, Limoges, France

    Jacques Monteil

  4. Service de Chirurgie Digestive, Générale et Endocrinienne, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Limoges, 2 Avenue Martin-Luther King, 87000, Limoges, France

    Fabien Fredon

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  1. Fabien Fredon
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  2. Jérémy Hardy
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  3. Mélanie Germain
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  4. Emma Vincent-Viry
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  5. Abdelkader Taïbi
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  6. Jacques Monteil
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  7. Christian Mabit
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  8. Denis Valleix
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  9. Sylvaine Durand-Fontanier
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Contributions

FF and SD-F developed the protocol/project. FF, MG, and EV-V collected the data. FF and AT participated in data analysis. All authors participated in writing, editing, and approval of the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Fabien Fredon.

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The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.

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Fredon, F., Hardy, J., Germain, M. et al. Correlations of the rectus abdominis muscle anatomy with anthropometric measurements. Surg Radiol Anat 43, 589–593 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02655-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02655-9

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