The Beginner’s Guide to Diastasis Recti: Preventing, Identifying, and Treating Abdominal Separation in Women

I. Introduction

Diastasis Recti is a common occurrence among women. This condition is often overlooked, but it can cause significant pain, discomfort, and even potential health risks if left untreated. In this article, we will explore everything you need to know about Diastasis Recti, including how to prevent, identify, and treat abdominal separation.

II. A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Diastasis Recti

To understand Diastasis Recti, it is essential to define what it is and what causes it. Diastasis Recti is a separation of the abdominal muscles that can cause the belly to bulge outward. It commonly occurs during pregnancy or after giving birth when the abdomen stretches to accommodate a growing fetus. The muscles in the abdomen must extend to make room for the baby, and this can lead to separation or thinning of the connective tissue that holds the rectus abdominis muscles together.

This separation may be noticeable in the form of a gap between the left and the right side of the muscles running down the center of the abdomen. In some cases, this gap can be widened by several inches, causing a distended or rounded belly. Diastasis Recti is also referred to as the “mommy pooch” or “pooch,” and while it commonly affects women during and after pregnancy, it can also affect men and women who have never had children.

III. How to Identify Diastasis Recti and Its Potential Health Risks

Identifying Diastasis Recti requires thorough examination. The checking process involves lying on the back with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Place your fingers on your mid-abdomen, right above your belly button and press gently. If you feel a gap, that indicates abdominal separation.

While Diastasis Recti may not be a life-threatening condition, it can cause some potential health risks such as, lower back pain, constipation, bloating, and poor posture. If left untreated, the abdominal organs which are the intestines, kidneys, liver, and stomach could protrude or “herniate” through the abdominal muscles, causing further complications.

IV. A Comprehensive Overview of Diastasis Recti and Its Impact on New Mothers

During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes significant changes to accommodate fetal growth. Diastasis Recti in women occurs due to the excessive stretching of the abdominal muscles. This stretching also leads to a weakening of the core muscles, which can lead to other muscular imbalances and resulting in poor posture.

New mothers with Diastasis Recti may experience core instability and back and pelvic pain. The risk of Diastasis Recti is more common in women who deliver twins, have larger babies, or a history of abdominal surgery. Many women feel they have struggled to get their pre-pregnancy body back. A full recovery can take some time, with a focused effort on gentle, targeted exercises to strengthen the core and pelvic floor muscles.

V. Your Ultimate Guide to Treating Diastasis Recti and Regaining Core Strength

The good news is that Diastasis Recti isn’t a permanent condition and can be treated. There are straightforward exercises that can help to treat Diastasis Recti, such as gentle Yoga, Pilates, and breathing exercises. Here are a few other steps and exercises that women can employ:

Breathing exercises such as deep inhaling and exhaling, which can reduce the intraabdominal pressure

Low-impact exercises like swimming and walking, which help increase blood flow and promote healing.

The Plank: This promotes strength in core muscles and can add pressure on the gap that closes it over time. Begin by getting into a standard plank position, your stomach “down,” and hands/feet on the floor and holding for as long as possible.

The Leg Slide: Start by lying on your back and bracing your abs. Then bend one knee, and slide the foot along the floor, straight and back until fully extended. Repeat the same process with the other leg.

The Pelvic Tilt: Lie flat on the floor with your knees bent. Put your hands on your stomach and breathe out. Then draw your navel towards your spine, and breathe in, releasing the breath during the relax.

For more severe cases of Diastasis Recti, such as gap width larger than two fingers or suffered for an extended period may require treatment such as physical therapy, surgery, and even mesh surgery, which includes using external mesh to close the abdominal gap.

VI. The Importance of Exercise in Preventing and Treating Diastasis Recti

The effects of targeted post-pregnancy exercises could be monumental in dealing with Diastasis Recti. Core-strengthening exercises continue to develop your muscle memory, supporting the spine and helping maintain posture. It also results in a stronger core and deeper pelvic floor.

One exercise that can prevent Diastasis Recti is pre-natal classes, designed to strengthen core and pelvic muscles, and these classes offer an excellent opportunity to connect with other pregnant women. Switching from high-impact to low-impact exercises, such as swimming and yoga from six months postpartum, could also strengthen core muscles and prevent Diastasis Recti.

VII. Diastasis Recti: What Every Woman Should Know About This Often-Overlooked Condition

Diastasis Recti is still an often-overlooked condition, with many women unaware of it and continuing life without necessary checkups. Even if a woman isn’t planning to have more children, prolonged Diastasis Recti can cause significant health risks, and as such, it is important that women receive appropriate diagnosis and begin targeted treatment for relief. While the bulging belly may not seem like an issue, its presence is an indication of impaired core stability, pelvic floor incontinence, and at an extreme level, a higher risk of hernia.

VIII. Conclusion

Diastasis Recti needs to be taken seriously. If you think you may have Diastasis Recti, it is crucial to visit your doctor to carry out a diagnosis to prevent further complications. Targeted exercises are a great way to treat Diastasis Recti, but it takes time, effort, and patience to see results. Start with the exercises mentioned in this article and gradually work your way up to workout routines that you were comfortable with pre-pregnancy. Regaining strength and stability may take some time, but with determination, and a strong support system, you can overcome Diastasis Recti and get back to your best self.