Dr. Ruth Meltzer, PT, DPT, OCS

What the heck is Diastasis Recti? Is this even something we need to know about? It sounds like something we learned in High School that they told us we would use someday as adults....and then never used. But actually, it's surprisingly common to find in women who have been pregnant. Also surprisingly, not a lot of women know about it, but SHOULD know about it and how to treat it.

Here at Fit4Mom we give you the best fitness classes for moms, but also tons of resources for all things mom health. So we have a guest blogger, Dr. Ruth Meltzer, from Rausch Physical Therapy, to tell us all about our abs, the ones we wish were flat and toned, and how we can make sure they get back to where they're supposed to be.

In Ruth's own words:

Diastasis Recti is the partial or complete separation of the rectus abdominis muscle, the “six pack” muscle. It more frequently happens during pregnancy, but it can happen from unsafe abdominal strengthening or heavy lifting and can happen in men as well. With pregnancy, the intra abdominal pressure increases; as the uterus expands, it stretches the abdominals to make room for the growing baby therefore separating the muscle. Diastasis recti can look like a pouch or bulge when trying to contract your abdominals. It can cause lower back pain, bloating or constipation. When that separation doesn’t come together easily after delivery and there is bulging with contraction of the abdominals, that is a sign of needing proper physical therapy. It is common among 60% of people post partum.

Here’s how to self-check yourself for diastasis recti 6 weeks postpartum:

1. Lie on your back, legs bent, feet flat on the floor.
2. Move your other hand above and below your belly button, and all along your midline ab muscles. See if you can fit any fingers in the gaps between your muscles.
3. Raise your shoulders up off the floor slightly, and look down at your belly.
4. If you feel a gap, or separation of two finger lengths or greater, you likely have a moderate case of diastasis recti. After a few weeks postpartum, the gap will start to narrow as your muscles regain strength.

It is common for women to experience some abdominal separation during pregnancy, the key is whether the abdominals come together nicely after delivery and can contract together instead of separating more upon a contraction. For some women, diastasis recti may correct itself after delivery as the abdominal muscles regain strength. If you’re still experiencing symptoms or separation six to eight weeks postpartum, then it is time to see me, your local physical therapist. A separation of more than 1 finger can cause a weakness in your core and lead to back or pelvic pain.

What should women do about it?

● Avoid heavy lifting

● Exhale when doing any type of lifting to decrease the intra abdominal pressure

● Avoid certain exercises such as sit ups

● Log roll to get up out of bed instead of sitting up

● Get OK’d by your doctor before starting a workout regiment

● Get checked out by a physical therapist to start specific exercises

● Surgery is an option if it is causing so much pain preventing you from your daily living, but it is usually a cosmetic surgery

Preventing diastasis recti during pregnancy can be attempted with the following:

● avoid any exercises where your abdominals bulge

● avoid exercises that strain your back

● no heavy lifting

● brace your abdominals while coughing or sneezing

● focus on strengthening your core prior to pregnancy with pilates or physical therapy directed exercises

If you have any questions about whether you may have it or not, please feel free to come in for a free consultation and I’ll be happy to have it checked out to see what path of recovery you are on. My passion is to help moms out and get them back to doing what they love to do, and if their abdominals are working against them and not for them, then it is definitely something that needs to be addressed and I am happy to help.

Ruth@rauschpt.net

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Disclaimer — All the information that you find on our blogs and social media pages is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as your personal professional diagnosis, or treatment. Come and see us for your excellent, personalized care! http://rauschpt.net/