The Best Exercises for Diastasis Recti
Byrne suggests abdominal compressions, pelvic tilts, toe taps, heel slides, single-leg stretches, and bridges with belly scooping. Always keep the belly pulled in, rather than doing any movement that pushes it out (and causes the telltale bulge on the midline).
Diastasis recti usually resolves itself within eight weeks of delivery, but some women experience it for as long as six months postpartum.
The short answer is NO! Depending on the severity of your postpartum diastasis recti, most women are able to recover years later using a combination of treatments and exercises that target the right abdominal muscles.
Diastasis recti is common, and an estimated 1 in 2 women experience the condition postpartum. Symptoms can include back pain and feeling abdominal weakness. Ab separation often heals on its own, but targeted exercises may help close the gap more quickly.
Make sure to avoid certain activities and exercises that may make diastasis recti worse. These include crunches, ab twists, planks, backward bends that stretch the abdominal area, certain yoga poses, or any type of heavy lifting activities that bulge out the stomach.
Rectus diastasis creates a visible bulge in your abdomen, but it's more than just a cosmetic concern. Untreated rectus diastasis can weaken your abdominal muscles over time, leaving you with chronic lower back pain and reduced mobility.
“Left untreated, diastasis recti can cause a number of functional problems,” cautions Keller. “If the abdomen has become overstretched, then all the other surrounding muscles and areas have to work harder to compensate. Back pain is very common, as well as an overactive pelvic floor and very tight hips and glutes.
Avoid any exercises that will place direct pressure on your stomach, which can cause your midsection to bulge or worsen muscle separation. That means you can cross forward-flexion exercises such as sit-ups, twists, and crunches off the list.
An observed separation of <3. cm between the rectus muscles is labeled mild diastasis, 3–5 cm separation of the rectus muscles moderate diastasis and more than 5 cm severe diastasis (25).
“Diastasis recti” means your belly sticks out because the space between your left and right belly muscles has widened. You might call it a “pooch.” It's very common among pregnant women.
Q: Can you do squats with diastasis recti? A: Yes, if you do them correctly and you have a solid connection to your core. Keep in mind, as mentioned above, that diastasis is caused (and continues) when we have continuous or repetitive forward, forceful pressure out on the abdominal wall.
Exercising with diastasis recti – building the foundations
Crunches, planks or heavy lifting are not bad or taboo exercises. No movements are. But it's important to build the foundations of core and pelvic floor function first, so that you can do them safely.
So these foods like sugar, alcohol, caffeine, processed foods and trans fats are inflammatory foods creating abdominal swelling and preventing you from recovering. Good nutrition like vitamins, minerals and essential fats are nourishing and crucial to our health and wellbeing.
Diastasis Recti Symptoms
Feelings of “flabbiness” in the abdominal muscles. Pelvic-floor muscle dysfunction that causes urinary or bowel problems (incontinence, leakage, constipation, etc). Low back or pelvic or hip pain.
The rectus diastasis repair is generally done by plastic surgeons. Medicare should cover the umbilical hernia, however the rectus diastasis is considered cosmetic and not covered by insurance. Please use the find a surgeon feature on this website to find a board certified plastic surgeon in your geographic area.
If you can feel a gap of two finger widths or more, schedule an appointment with your primary care physician, OBGYN or physical therapist for a definitive diagnosis.
Gastrointestinal Issues
Bloating and constipation can both be symptoms of diastasis recti. Your ab muscles hold certain organs in place, like your intestines. When your ab muscles are weakened due to diastasis recti, it doesn't support your muscles as well.
A: The short answer is no. You can still receive benefits belly binding after 8 weeks postpartum. For more details on how to do it safely and effectively, see this blog post “Am I too late to Belly Bind?”
Wearing a compression garment
Try wearing a belly band or supportive binder that gently holds your ab muscles in place. While a compression garment won't heal diastasis recti on its own, it can provide stability, improve your posture, and reduce pain.