Please help! Separated Rectus Abdominis (Diastasis recti) an

nixickle

ok, so after I gave birth to my beautiful daughter, I was informed my abdominals had "split" and for ages it was like a huge gaping hole where my muscles used to be!! But it got to the point where the gap was about 1cm wide....then I started to do the 30ds....I'm now paranoid the gap is increasing again, infact tonight it feels more like 6cms!!!! Does anyone else have this problem? Has the 30ds helped or made it worse? Has anything helped??

Sorry if this post doesn't mean much to some people but hope it makes sense to someone!

BeFitMom

To rehab diastasis, you need to focus on core exercises that utilize lower spine flexion, and/or exercises that require you to stabilize a neutral spline.
Women with diastasis need to start by building A LOT of strength into the deepest abdominal muscle, the Transverse Abdominis, or TvA. When contracted, the TvA compresses the abdomen and narrows the waist.
Then after the TvA has regained adequate strength, you need to perform specialized postpartum exercises that train the muscle to function properly as a stabilizer. When doing these exercises, it's critical that you never allow your external abs to overpower your TvA. When this happens, the abdominal wall will bulge outward, which stretches and separates your mid line.
Do not perform any exercises that lift/roll the upper body off the floor or against the force of gravity as these can make your separation worse. No crunches, oblique pulses, roll ups/roll downs, most Pilates mat and reformer work, and yoga positions like "boat pose."
To protect your mid line, always use the "log roll" technique when rising from the floor, or out of bed.
BeFit-Mom

CCarricato

I know what you mean, and for the longest time my I could stick my finger between my abs. Honestly, since I did 90 days of Turbo Fire, it's has gotten so much better! I think that the reasoning is because you do so much work stabilizing your body with your core you are working the exact muscles listed in the previous post. If you want some more info on it let me know, but it definitely fixed the problem for me!

Cassie

Ebbykins

I have diastis recti, and I have improved it by altering all my ab workouts but it's not completely gone. I have an umbilical hernia that I have a pre op surgery for on the 19th as well. I don't know if they will also repair the diastis recti, but I've read if you have a hernia it won't fix itself anyways because the hernia keeps the walls separated. I stopped doing twisting movements, i.e bicycles, plank twists, anything that requires bringing my legs up in a V from the floor and crunching up. Google "ways to workout transverse abdominals" and use them instead of those exercises on the DVD, it has helped significantly, because yes, the workouts were making it worse...

Ebbykins

To rehab diastasis, you need to focus on core exercises that utilize lower spine flexion, and/or exercises that require you to stabilize a neutral spline.
Women with diastasis need to start by building A LOT of strength into the deepest abdominal muscle, the Transverse Abdominis, or TvA. When contracted, the TvA compresses the abdomen and narrows the waist.
Then after the TvA has regained adequate strength, you need to perform specialized postpartum exercises that train the muscle to function properly as a stabilizer. When doing these exercises, it's critical that you never allow your external abs to overpower your TvA. When this happens, the abdominal wall will bulge outward, which stretches and separates your mid line.
Do not perform any exercises that lift/roll the upper body off the floor or against the force of gravity as these can make your separation worse. No crunches, oblique pulses, roll ups/roll downs, most Pilates mat and reformer work, and yoga positions like "boat pose."
To protect your mid line, always use the "log roll" technique when rising from the floor, or out of bed.
BeFit-Mom

I think I have your DVD! I'm saving it for after my hernia surgery when I am recouping and just allowed to start basic stuff back up again. Yes it's there!! I also bought a girdle for certain days my IBS makes it worse and for certain workouts, awesome.

nixickle

Thankyou ladies! I shall check out those alternative exercises!

nixickle

Does this mean we can never do crunches etc? I honestly thought my abs were as back to normal as they were going to get! But the hole is definitely bigger now that I've started 30Ds! Grrrr and I was really enjoying all the exercises including the crunches and sit ups!!

nixickle

Edit: double post!

Ebbykins

Does this mean we can never do crunches etc? I honestly thought my abs were as back to normal as they were going to get! But the hole is definitely bigger now that I've started 30Ds! Grrrr and I was really enjoying all the exercises including the crunches and sit ups!!

Nope not forever! You just need to work on the transverse abs first, honestly even just weeks of working them doing mat work, vacuums, pelvic tilts, etc instead of crunches and all the new stuff I learned made a HUGE HUGE difference once I stopped doing the other crunches etc. I have started doing modified bicycles again for my obliques (less twisting, less leg extension) and have noticed it's much better when I do this now). So just ditch them for a bit and modify and see where it gets you. Again I'm never going to be able to fully repair mine until this hernia is tucked back in, but for you, totally doable with lots of patience!!