title: Comparison of lateral abdominal muscle thickness between weightlifters and matched controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare lateral abdominal muscle thickness between weightlifters and matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case control study design.
  
  
  METHODS
  University laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  16 female Thai national weightlifters and 16 matched controls participated in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ultrasound imaging with a 12-MHz linear array was used to measure the resting thickness of transversus abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO) and total thickness (Total) of lateral abdominal muscle (LAM) on the right side of abdominal wall. The absolute muscle thickness and the relative contribution of each muscle to the total thickness were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Weightlifters had significantly thicker absolute TrA and IO muscles than matched controls (p < 0.01). Further, the relative thickness of the IO was significantly greater in weightlifters than matched controls (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study suggest that routine Olympic style weight training among female weightlifters appears to result in preferential hypertrophy or adaptation of the IO muscle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
authors.forename: Patraporn
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sitilertpisan
authors.forename: Ubon
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pirunsan
authors.forename: Aatit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Puangmali
authors.forename: Jonjin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ratanapinunchai
authors.forename: Suchart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiatwattanacharoen
authors.forename: Hudsaleark
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Neamin
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Laskin
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009122:Muscle Hypertonia; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D055070:Resistance Training / Q000379:methods; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult