Have you ever wondered if your abdominal muscles are as strong as they should be? Or have you noticed a gap between your abdominal muscles after giving birth or working out intensely? If so, you might be dealing with a condition called diastasis recti.
Read on to understand diastasis recti, symptoms, causes, and diastasis recti treatments. Also learn vital diastasis recti exercises that help with the condition to avoid diastasis recti surgery.
What is Diastasis Recti?
Diastasis recti is an abdominal separation. It happens due to the increasing distance between the midline or rectus abdominal muscles. This separation is the cause of weakness in the anterior abdominal wall. It’s commonly seen in the pregnant and postpartum individuals.
The rectus abdominal muscles are present vertically in front of the stomach. These are divided into right and left sides by the linea alba tissue. During the pregnancy, the uterus expands. Thus, it creates an abdominal stretch. So, the linea alba becomes thinned and displaced. After the baby is born, the linea alba comes back to its place naturally. But if it loses the elasticity, then the abdominal gaps would not be closed. It is called diastasis recti.
Diastasis Recti Symptoms
Some common symptoms of diastasis recti are –
1. Visible Gap
The most common diastasis recti symptom is a visible gap in the middle of the abdomen.
2. Lower Back Pain
Diastasis recti causes pain in the lower back portion. As it weakens the core muscles, they can’t support your spine properly. Thus, you feel this pain.
3. Digestive Issues
The patient experiences issues like constipation and bloating. These happen due to the weakness of the abdominal muscles.
4. Pelvic Floor Issues
Weak abdominal muscles also cause additional pressure on the pelvic floor. As a result, individuals experience issues like pelvic pain.
5. Urine leakage
People may suffer from urine leakage during coughing or sneezing.
Diastasis Recti Causes
The common causes of diastasis recti are –
- Pregnancy
It is quite a common issue in pregnant women. The uterus creates pressure on the abdominal muscles. It causes diastasis recti.
- Excessive Abdominal Strain
Extreme abdominal exercises like sit-ups or crunches cause this disease.
- Obesity
People with excessive body weight easily attract diastasis recti.
- Multiple Pregnancies
Women having multiple pregnancies increase the risk of diastasis recti.
Diastasis Recti Exercises
Fortunately, there are many diastasis recti exercises. These may help to manage and potentially improve the condition:
- Pelvic Tilt:
This exercise helps to strengthen your abdominal muscles. Just lie on the floor with your back. Then, bend your knees. Straighten your back and tighten the abdominal muscle. Also, bend your pelvis up slightly. Hold this posture for 10 seconds.
- Transverse Abdominis Activation
Lie down on the floor with a neutral spine. First, inhale and then exhale. During this inhale-exhale process, draw your navel toward the spine.
- Bird Dog:
Get on your hands and knees, then extend your right arm and left leg simultaneously. Hold for a few seconds and alternate sides.
- Bridge:
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Lift your hips off the ground while engaging your glutes and core.
- Planks:
Perform forearm planks and side planks to strengthen your entire core.
- Breathing Exercises:
Focus on diaphragmatic breathing, which encourages the deep core muscles to engage.
- Kegel Exercises:
Do this exercise with an empty bladder. First, lie down on the floor. Hold your pelvic muscles tight for 3 to 5 seconds. Then, relax the muscles.
Diastasis Recti Treatments
There are different types of diastasis recti treatments. The doctor prescribes the treatment depending on the severity of the disease.
- Abdominal Binders:
These are the supportive garments. They help to bring back the separated muscles to their original place.
- Manual Techniques:
Sometimes, customised manual techniques are applied to bring the muscles close together.
- Nutrition:
A balanced diet helps to control body weight. It also reduces the risk of diastasis recti.
- Posture Improvement:
Moreover, maintaining body posture can reduce the symptoms of diastasis recti.
Diastasis Recti Surgery
If the above treatments don’t work, then go for surgery. Contact your doctor and get advice on the right surgical options.
1. Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck): It helps to remove the additional fat from the abdomen. It also repairs the separated muscles.
2. Mesh Repair: In some critical cases, surgeons use mesh or reinforce it to fix the abdominal muscles. The mesh is also used in hernia surgery.
Conclusion
Diastasis recti is a common issue for women. If you experience any symptoms of this disease, contact a healthcare professional. Diagnosing the causes, the medical service provider prescribes its treatments. They may refer you to a physical therapist to repair your abdominal muscles. In severe cases, the doctor orders diastasis recti surgery.
