The Best Exercise’s For Diastasis Recti
A lot of women post pregnancy will experience something called “Diastasis Recti”. What we like to refer to as our 6 pack muscles are actually called our Rectus Abdominus, these muscles go down the middle of your abdomen starting from your ribs going down to the front of your pelvis, and are connected by the Lines Alba. These muscles hold our internal organs in place and keep our body stable during movement. The main action for our rectus abdominis muscles are: Flexion of the trunk (thoracic and lumber spine), drawing the pubic symphysis and sternum toward each other. It also creates tension within the anterior wall of the abdomen and helps create intra-abdominal pressure.
Diastasis means seperation, and recti refers to our abdominal muscles. When women are pregnant these abomdinal muscles can separate as a result from being stretched during pregnancy. This separation occurs at the Linea Alba, the connetive tissue mentioned before that holds the muscles together. Diastasis recti can also be caused by other situations, and is a result of increased pressure within the belly.
So how do we recover from it? The key to healing diastasis recti is rebuilding the core as a whole starting from the inside. We need to strengthen the transverse abdominis muscle, which is the deepest abdominal muscle, deeper than our rectus abdominus. It can provide support for the muscles that have been damaged. Before we start this discussion, lets note that strengthening the core muscles before getting pregnant will help prevent this common issue.
If you are beyond this point, here are the 3 exercise’s I would recommend once you have been cleared for exercise by your doctor:
Glute Bridge:
This movement works the glutes, hamstrings and other supporting hip muscles. All of these muscles are very important in supporting the core. Think about scooping the hips up and into the ribs as you lift like a J, squeezing the belly button into the spine. Keep feet flat on the floor as you go.
Toe Taps:
This exercise is similar to the motion of the dead bug except we are just focusing on the legs. Keep the core engaged and lower back flat to the floor as you go, touching one toe to the floor at a time. You are focusing on maintaining your core position while you move the legs, hands can be by sides or slightly under lower back for support.
Bird Dog:
This exercise helps strengthen our muscles in the lower back, pelvic floor and abdomen. Make sure you are in an aligned table top position, shoulders over wrists and hips over knees, before you start. Once ready extend opposite arm and leg away from each other keeping back flat and core engaged. Alternate sides as you go maintaining this position with core entire time.
Forward-flexion exercises such as sit-ups, russian twists, and crunches are not reccomendedt. These exercises may cause pain within the abdomen and potentially worsen your muscle separation. Practising deep breathing within the diaphragm and keigel exercises will also help bring everything together as a whole.
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Robyn