Restore Your Core: Diastasis Recti and Pelvic Floor Talks

Diastasis Recti is an incredibly common injury that many people visibly notice as an indentation in the middle of the belly. The rectus abdominus muscle is a pair of muscles that run along both sides of your stomach. Diastasis is often visibly noticeable when a gap between the pair of muscles occurs. Your abs are separated by a midline band of connective tissue called the linea alba. The linea alba goes from the pubic symphysis to your xiphoid process.

During pregnancy, the abdominal region expands and various experts claim that around 1/3 to 1/2 of women experience a diastasis recti injury post-pregnancy. Men can also experience DR but its much less common and often associated with hernias. If you are a man reading this blog, we suggest you read our diastasis recti exercises for men article.

If you’ve noticed an abdominal bulge, linea alba stretching, muscle separation, lower back pain, leak pee, doming, invagination, or coning, you may have a diastasis. To perform a self-test, read our article on testing for diastasis, and always make sure you consult a doctor to get an expert opinion.

What Exercises Can Help with Diastasis Recti?

Some easy beginning steps to healing from a DR injury is to understand more about breathing, your core, and posture. They each play a surprising role in healing and in preventing injury.

1. Practice appropriate breathing patterns

Though this may seem like a simple task, many people do not practice proper breathing patterns. 3D rib breathing as opposed to belly breathing helps limit the amount of stress and pressure that you add to your abdomen daily. Inconsistent or improper breathing can add additional pressure to your abdomen causing a diastasis recti. Many people are taught that diaphragm breathing means belly breathing and have excess pressure on their core wall as a result.

2. Practice good posture and free your abs from excess tension

While pregnant, it can be difficult to sit-up straight without straining your abdomen and lower back. The added weight in your belly can also allow for bad posture. When rising up out of bed, don’t sit straight up. This adds unnecessary pressure to your abdomen. When sitting up in bed or trying to get out, try either rolling over on your side before rising or focus on rising using your transverse abdominal muscles (those closer to your pubic bone).

3. Understand a good / healthy / functional core strategy

Approaching strength building and core function routines, it is important to do so smartly. There should be no compromises in exercise. In both One Strong Mama and in Restore Your Core I focus on strengthening your body effectively and efficiently in order for you to be able to workout without any compensation with great results.

How to Test for Diastasis Recti?

Believing you may have a diastasis recti can be a worrisome / frustrating experience. However, there is an abundance of information regarding diastasis recti recovery. We at Restore Your Core have designed a program specifically for women who are suffering from diastasis recti or other abdominal/pelvic floor issues.

What is Diastasis Recti?

Diastasis recti is the stretching or separation of the rectus abdominis (6 pack) muscles caused by the thinning of the linea alba (midline connective tissue). Diastasis recti separation leaves your abdominal organs unsupported, and if severe, can expose your digestive organs creating a stomach bulge. 

This separation can range from being isolated above the belly button, within the belly button, and below the belly button sitting above the pubic bone. In some cases, the separation emcompasses the entire mid section of the core. 

In both men and women, this gap can be created in the midline of your belly anywhere from the pubic bone to the base of your ribcage. During a crunch or sit-up, where one would normally feel tension and closure, there is a space in between.

What Does it Look Like?

Diastasis recti looks different from person to person. Although in some cases the symptoms can be painful and more present, in some people they aren’t noticeable at all. Below I address the most common and present symptoms you should be aware of in determining whether or not you may have a diastasis recti.

Abdominal Bulge

An abdominal bulge is not always an indication of a diastasis recti, yet, it can be a symptom. 

This bulge, or stomach “pooch,” occurs when the abdominal organs become unsupported by the rectus abdominis muscles. This can appear as a cone shape or ridge above and within the area located close to the belly button. However, depending on where the diastasis recti has become isolated, the bulge can range from above the belly button, on the belly button (causing the belly button to flatten), or below the belly button just above the pubic bone.

Testing for Diastasis Recti

A self-assessment can be performed as follows:

Lie on your back in a comfortable position. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.

Place one hand on the midline of your core with your fingers pointing straight down on your abs.  

If you need support for your head, place your other hand under your head and neck for support. Slowly lift your head and add minimal pressure to your fingers placed on your core. With no diastasis recti, there is the feeling of a toned wall as you lift your head up. If you feel a gap, or your fingers sink into your core, you likely have diastasis recti. In very obvious cases, you can feel the sides of your core muscles in between that gap on the left and right sides.

Repeat the process for the areas just above your belly button and below your belly button to determine whether or not the diastasis recti is isolated or in your core as a whole.

Original Source:

https://restoreyourcore.com/learn/diastasis-recti/diastasis-recti-during-pregnancy/

Diastasis recti is a very common condition that can occur during pregnancy and even extend postpartum. DR can affect women and men in varying ways and during different stages of their lives. More research regarding the prevalence, risk factors, and best treatments for diastasis recti have been on a rise. 

One of the best things you can do during pregnancy is prehab. I have many long term clients who were able to prevent their diastasis recti from returning with subsequent pregnancies by working their core in a smart, functional way the entirety of their pregnancy. Many report that their core felt stronger than ever with the prehab work that they did. Pregnancy is not an illness, there is no need to halt all exercise. We do, however, want to make good exercise choices. It is very important to exercise your core during pregnancy but not to increase intra ab pressure as you do so. 

Video URL:

https://vimeo.com/410786638

Link to the Article: https://restoreyourcore.com/learn/diastasis-recti/is-diastasis-recti-preventable/

Link to the Video:

https://vimeo.com/411566260

1. Practice appropriate breathing patterns

Though this may seem like a simple task, many people do not practice proper breathing patterns. 3D rib breathing as opposed to belly breathing helps limit the amount of stress and pressure that you add to your abdomen daily. Inconsistent or improper breathing can add additional pressure to your abdomen causing a diastasis recti. Many people are taught to belly breath, are taught that diaphragm breathing means belly breathing and have excess pressure on their core wall as a result.

core muscles and diastasis recti

2. Practice good posture and free your abs from excess tension

While pregnant, it can be difficult to sit-up straight without straining your abdomen and lower back. The added weight in your belly can also allow for bad posture. When rising up out of bed, don’t sit straight up. This adds unnecessary pressure to your abdomen. When sitting up in bed or trying to get out, try either rolling over on your side before rising or focus on rising using your transverse abdominal muscles (those closer to your pubic bone).

3. Understand a good / healthy / functional core strategy

Approaching strength building and core function routines, it is important to do so smartly. There should be no compromises in exercise. In both One Strong Mama and in Restore Your Core I focus on strengthening your body effectively and efficiently in order for you to be able to workout without any compensation with great results. Click here for a list of tips and tricks to help relieve any symptoms you may have or for exercises to help correct any unhealthy patterns you may be following.

There is really no clear way as to how exactly a diastasis recti develops. A diastasis can occur for many reasons. One of the most common ways a diastasis recti occurs is through pregnancy. This should not alarm you though. 100% of all pregnant women have a diastasis recti. This is caused by the stretching of the abdominals to accommodate the growing uterus. Issues accompanying a diastasis recti are typically only a concern if your abdominal muscles have not recentered by about 6 to 12 weeks postpartum.

https://restoreyourcore.com/learn/diastasis-recti/is-diastasis-recti-fixable/

Due to diastasis recti being more common during and after pregnancy, many methods of avoiding its development involve postural awareness, corrective exercises, and a conscious prehab approach during pregnancy. Yet, there are several things to keep in mind regardless of whether you are male or female, pregnant or not.

• Understand a good / healthy / functional core strategy 
• Practice appropriate breathing patterns
• Ensure your abs are free from excess tension
• Avoid exercises that increase focalized tension in the abdomen
• Practice good posture

Although diastasis recti is not completely avoidable in some cases, the list above helps paint a clear picture on how to protect your core while still staying active. The key is to be mindful of your body’s function and how to increase your functionality and build strength without causing harm to your body.

Find the video summary below:

https://vimeo.com/410783921

Read the full article below:

https://restoreyourcore.com/learn/diastasis-recti/what-does-diastasis-recti-look-like/

Many symptoms that occur with diastasis recti can appear to be akin to that of a hernia. The most common symptoms that can occur if you have diastasis recti are*:

• Bulge in your abdominal core (also called by some as a “pooch.” Not my favorite term at all.)
• Feeling like your midsection is larger, less toned than the rest of your body. (Especially true if you have had a pregnancy.)
• Sense of having a weak core (your daily activities lack the intrinsic support of your core.)
• Pelvic floor issues (i.e. leakage)
• Abdominal gaping 
• Pain in your lower back
• Poor posture
• Constipation

Testing yourself for diastasis recti is one way to determine whether or not you may have a gap between your abdominal muscles. I always recommend having a professional do the test as well. This can be done by lying on your back with your knees up and feet flat on the ground. Once in this position, place one of your hands on your belly, fingers pointing down on the centerline. Place your other hand behind your head for support. As you exhale, slowly lift your shoulders and head slightly above the ground. Use your fingers to palpate up and down the center and see if your fingers sink into your core. If there is no diastasis recti, you will feel a “hard wall” – even if you are not very toned. If your fingers sink in, and you can feel the edges of your core muscles on each side of your abdomen, you likey have a diastasis recti. A diastasis recti is measured by finger width. If your gap is only 1 or 2 fingers wide, it might be considered okay, however, it is important that you mind your core because the gap can widen if you are not careful. 

Video Summary:

https://vimeo.com/410766156

One of the biggest issues with diastasis recti is that the appearance of it differs from person to person. Quite often a diastasis recti goes unnoticed, without painful symptoms, or even worse, is seen as a personal flaw, especially with women postpartum. 

Read the full article below:

https://restoreyourcore.com/learn/diastasis-recti/what-does-diastasis-recti-look-like/

Rectus abdominis separation can lead to a stomach bulge (aka stomach pooch), pelvic floor issues, unnatural posture, and stomach and back pain. The symptoms of diastasis recti include but are not limited to:

• Abdominal Bulge
• Abdominal Gaping
• Lower Back Pain
• Sensation of Bloatedness without Bloat
• Incontinence
• Poor Posture
• Constipation & Bloat
• Doming or invagination of the linea alba when performing crunches or other traditional ab exercises
• Difficulty with everyday activities due to a lack of core function

Unless you have a low body fat percentage or have an overly toned core with a visible 6-pack, it is very hard to diagnose a diastasis recti on appearance alone. The linea alba lies beneath the fat layer of your abdomen, so it cannot be seen. Many people have a diastasis recti for years before learning they have it.

Video Summary:

https://vimeo.com/410755530

You should only consider DR surgery after being enrolled in at least a year of core rehab focusing on corrective exercises and diastasis recti specific strength training. If you have done rehab diligently, and you still notice a significant gap, lower back pain, or leakage, you could consult your doctor and begin discussing whether or not surgery is the right option for you. 

Another thing to consider when opting for a diastasis recti surgery is whether or not the gap is causing you pain or any other difficult symptoms. If you are wanting to pursue surgery for cosmetic purposes rather than functionality, it is key to understand that a diastasis recti surgery is highly invasive, and there will be a significant amount of time taken to recover. And, as all surgeries go: the pros should outweigh the cons. 

Read the full article here:

https://restoreyourcore.com/learn/diastasis-recti/diastasis-recti-surgery/

The effects of the surgery (stomach swelling, scarring, etc.) may take 6 months or even up to 12 months to fully go down or diminish in coloring and size. Once you have regained your strength and believe you are ready to begin building up core strength again, consult a trained professional to outline an exercise routine that would best suit your needs.

Video Summary:

https://vimeo.com/410751146

Believe it or not, diastasis recti can affect men just as it can affect women. One of the biggest myths surrounding diastasis recti is that it only occurs in women postpartum. However, diastasis recti is a universal occurrence that affects the abdominal wall without gender specificity.

Read the full article below:

https://restoreyourcore.com/learn/diastasis-recti/diastasis-recti-exercises-for-men/

While a diastasis recti is usually caused by pregnancy in women, research has helped reveal several causes of the condition in men. Some of the common reasons for a diastasis recti to develop are:

• Frequent or rapid changes in weight
• Weightlifting
• Certain core exercises
• Underlying Abdominal Illnesses (i.e. stomach cancer, or cirrhosis)
• Obesity

Video Summary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5iv5P1P79g&feature=youtu.be

What is diastasis recti? Diastasis recti is the stretching or separation of the rectus abdominis (6 pack) muscles caused by the thinning of the linea alba (midline connective tissue). Diastasis recti separation leaves your abdominal organs unsupported, and if severe, can expose your digestive organs creating a stomach bulge. 

Read the blog below:

https://restoreyourcore.com/learn/diastasis-recti/before-and-after-diastasis-recti/

How you look has nothing to do with how healthy you are. Many athletes and bodybuilders have constant back, shoulder, core issues and pain despite their healthy and toned appearance. In many cases, athletes and bodybuilders have a diastasis recti without even realizing it! Buying into an appearance based program only damages any attempts at building a stronger and more functional core and balanced body. You can still have a belly and be healthy with a functional, strong core.

Video Summary

https://vimeo.com/410737553