Are you struggling to get rid of an abdominal bulge that just won’t go away? If you’ve tried diet and abdominal exercises and nothing seems to work, you may have a condition called diastasis recti. This is a common problem among women who have been pregnant. It basically means the rectus abdominus muscles, the two parallel muscles that run along each side of the abdomen, have separated where they join in the middle. This creates a tummy bulge that can’t be corrected through abdominal crunches or traditional abdominal exercises.
What Causes Diastasis Recti?
As a growing fetus expands in the pelvic cavity, it places pressure on the abdominal wall and causes the wall to st
Women who have had multiple pregnancies and smaller, thinner women are at greater risk for abdominal wall separation due to diastasis recti.
How Do You Know If You Have It?
If you have separation of the rectus abdominus, you can usually feel it. Lie down on a mat with your knees bent. Lift your head and chest off of the mat as if you’re doing a crunch. As you do so, run your hand along the midline of your abdomen near your navel. If you feel a separation or a ridge, and it’s more than three fingers wide, you likely have diastasis recti.
Can You Treat Abdominal Separation Due to Pregnancy?
No treatment is necessary from a health standpoint, but many women are bothered by the appearance of their bulging tummy. Diastasis recti can also put stress on the lower back and lead to back pain. Doing crunches, Pilates and other common abdominal exercises can actually make abdominal wall diastasis worse. There are special exercises that can help though.
There is a group of exercises called the Tupler Technique that can help to correct this problem. Some personal trainers are familiar with these exercises and can show you how to do them correctly. If you have this condition, bend your knees when you pick things up. Taking steps to improve your posture may also help. Bending over to pick things up from the waist and slouching can make the abdominal separation worse.
The Bottom Line?
Not all tummy bulges are due to fat or weak abdominal muscles. If you’ve been pregnant, your bulging tummy may be due to the separation of the rectus abdominal muscles where they join in the middle. Doing standard abdominal exercises such as crunches could make the separation worse. If you think you have this condition, see your doctor for a diagnosis, and look for a trainer who can show you the proper exercises that can help correct this condition.
References:
Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy Volume 29, No. 1, Spring, 2005.
A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. “Diastasis Recti”
Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy Volume 29, No. 1, Spring, 2005
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I actually had my abs completely separate above my navel with my first pregnancy. I did a ton of crunches and a host of abdominal exercises and the doctor (who also said they would never go back together) was very amazed!
You can’t tell at all now.
Thank you for this article. My OB diagnosed me with this condition after my first child. Shortly thereafter, I became pregnant again and made the condition worse 😛
I had trouble finding a physical therapist who even knew what this condition was, much less how to treat it!
I have been trying to “fix” my abs through crunches and other core exercises, but am careful to avoid exercises that can make the condition worse (ab work that involves extending and raising the legs).
I know you fellow Cathletes might know about this, but in the Pregnancy forum there’s the possibility of contacting Sheila Watkins, a prenatal fitness specialist, she gave me some exercises to do to close my diastasis (I was 3 fingers separated) and I actually have closed it and pretty quickly ! I still have a little bulge in the upper abs but this should be due to my TA still a bit weak. I was amazed by the results, I’ll never thank her enough for her invaluable help!
How about advice for those of us who cannot affor to see a physical therapist or a trainer???