Correlation between Peak Expiratory Flow and Abdominal Muscle Thickness
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Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Acquisition and Semi-Automated Analysis of Respiratory Muscle Surface Electromyography
Published on: January 24, 2025
Hiroshi Ishida1, Kenichi Kobara1, Hiroshi Osaka1
1Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Science and Technology, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare: 288 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0193, Japan.
Abstract:
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine whether forced expiration is correlated with abdominal muscle thickness. [Subjects] Twenty-three healthy male volunteers participated in this study. [Methods] The peak expiratory flow (PEF) was obtained using a peak flow meter with subjects in the sitting position. The thicknesses of the right rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis muscles were measured using B-mode ultrasonography at the end of a relaxed expiration in the supine position. [Results] Among the abdominal muscles, only the thickness of the external oblique muscle displayed a significant correlation with PEF. [Conclusion] It appears that the thickness of the external oblique muscle might be associated with PEF during forced expiration.
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