Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Physical Therapy - Department of Physical Therapy for Gynecology and Obstatrics

This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of ultra-sound Cavitation versus radiofrequency on abdominal fat thickness in postnatal women. Fifty overweight primipara women at 6 months postnatally aged from 20-35 years, BMI not exceed 29.9 kg/m2 and have waist hip ratio (WHR) > 0.8. were selected from the outpatient clinic of the family planning, obstetrics and gynecology of Fayoum University Hospital. They were assigned randomly into 2 equal groups: Group (A) received ultra-sound cavitation40 KHz applied for 30 min, once weekly for 8 weeks. Group (B) received radiofrequency multi-polar 1MHZ applied for 30 min, once weekly for 8 weeks. Both groups received the same diet program throughout the treatment period. All females in both groups were assessed through weight scale for body weight, tape measurement for waist/hip ratio and ultra-sonography for fat thickness of abdominal region before and after treatment. The results showed that there was a significant reduction of body weight, abdominal fat thickness at three level (at the umbilicus level, above and below umbilicus by 5 cm) in both groups with favorable results for group A. And a significant reduction of waist/hip ratio in group A only (P-value =0.0001*). That group (B) revealed that there was no significant difference of waist/hip ratio at post treatment in compare to pre-treatment (P-value =0.051). In conclusion the ultrasound cavitation and radiofrequency are effective physical therapy modalities in treatment of abdominal fat thickness but, US cavitation more effective than RF in reduction of WHR and abdominal fat thickness in management of abdominal obese in postnatal women

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