Abdominal guarding (aka defense musculaire) is tensing of abdominal wall muscles to guard inflamed organs within the abdomen from pain of pressure upon them.

• Tensing when the abdominal wall is pressed

• Caused by inflammation of the inner abdominal (peritoneal) surface of the abdomen
• The tensed muscle of the abdominal wall automatically goes into spasm to keep the tender underlying tissue from being disturbed

• Appendicitis
• Diverticulitis

• Abdominal pain