Diastasis Recti?

kamakazeekim

I'm pretty sure I have diastasis recti...I can fit all my fingers in between my right and left abdominal muscles and there is a visible separation...especially when doing ab work. I've had two babies (ages 6 and 3) and I have had three abdominal surgeries where I was cut from my belly button down. Does anyone know of any exercises that can help bring the muscles back together?

mrsmaslin

Dont do ANY ab exercises at all.

Try doing some breathing exercises, pulling your belly button in on the outbreath. Do a few sets of these several times a day to begin with.

I had 3 finger separation at Christmas, got them checked last week and have got it down to 1 finger separation. It takes time and breathing correctly when exercising and avoiding any ab exercises completely to help aid recovery quicker.

Good luck.

kdiamond

Google "ab vacuums" - similar to what the above poster said, sucking the belly in and out.

Other than that, planks are really the only 'ok' exercise for your abs.

dakotababy

I have heard also that doing certain ab exercises can actually make the problem worse. I think planks were still ok. Basically nothing that can cause your ab muscles to move apart when doing the move (sit ups).

mrsmaslin

I wouldn't do planks. No ab work at all until fixed. Your not even supposed to lift heavy or run a good distance. I personally lifted heavy upper body but didnt squat or deadlift heavy for 8 weeks until I felt an improvement. Its worth holding back shorterm to fix yourself faster.

bartme03

Hmmm. I actually have to disagree about not doing any ab exercises (especially because most exercise is ab exercise in a sense). However, I do agree with the sentiment. You don't want to overload your abdominals. But you also need to work your abdominals to see improvement. Therefore, a good balance is always exhaling on the exertion and performing an ascending contraction that coordinates your pelvic floor, inner abdominals and outer abdominals. Frankly, no particular exercise is going to make it worse. It's the way you perform the exercise that can make it worse, and some exercises are harder to modify than others, which is why they might be contraindicated (deadlifts for example). Upper body work is actually a good way to work the abdominals without overloading them because they need to brace the body. That said, a plank is still good, but if your abs are really weak because of or in addition to the separation, this might mean planking against a wall or a tall incline, definitely not a traditional on the floor plank. You'll know your abs are being overloaded if you can't maintain a contraction. You DO want to get to know your transverse abdominis muscle, which is why some people suggest pulling belly to spine, but you don't really want to work the TvA in isolation all the time. Sorry, this is long. I wrote a post about how I narrowed mine (not a how to guide, but rather just thoughts about what did and didn't seem to help) and have an entire section on DR on my blog. I grew really really big babies in a small frame, so I've been dealing with DR for almost 5 years now and have read basically everything under the sun about it. I don't have a ton of answers, but I have thought about it more than a sane person should:) http://motherfigure.com/dr-resources/

ephiemarie

I've had 4 babies and developed DR after the first. I have noticed marked improvement (from 3 fingers' width to less than 1) since I started running and lifting heavy about a year ago. I can now do typical ab exercises without any discernible bulging. Unless you are experiencing complications or discomfort as a direct result of your separation, I would suggest sticking with whatever form of exercise you enjoy. In my opinion, the most important thing to remember is to protect your back. With a compromised core, you're more likely to suffer back injuries from even typical daily activities.

kamakazeekim

Thanks everyone!

susanar50

After 3 c-sections in 8 years I had about a 3 finger separation. I found Lindsay Brin's CFS Method with Moms Into Fitness on amazon and it really worked. After a couple of months of following her workouts I was down to a 1/2 finger separation. I also have an umbilical hernia so my belly button is now an outie but it's a little more "in" now after doing the CFS method. I would definitely recommend looking into it!