Diastasis Recti exercise success?

Hello !!! I was just wondering if anyone has had success with exercises for this condition? Or is it a lost cause?

Replies

  • BeFitMom
    BeFitMom Posts: 17
    Yes, you can absolutely repair diastasis with proper exercise. Are you pregnant or postpartum?
    BeFit-Mom
  • loveflowers4
    loveflowers4 Posts: 21 Member
    Thank you for response!! I am post "babies"!!! ( I have 4 kids, the youngest will be 2 this month). Do you know what types of exercises I should do? I did a self test and can fit 4 fingers in the gap.
  • riouxha
    riouxha Posts: 995 Member
    flat on the floor. Place your hands on your abdomen with your fingertips pointing down toward your pubic bone. Exhale as you slowly lift your head (and shoulders, if you can) while pressing down and in with your fingers - that will urge the rectus back together.

    Take a long towel and wrap it around your torso with the ends in front. As you perform a crunch, pull the ends of the towel towards each other in front of your belly button, which will also urge the muscle back together.

    Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. As you exhale, slowly extend one leg along the floor, feeling your abdomen contract below your belly button. Inhale as you return to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg.

    i'm a student nurse on a high risk maternity unit. This is what our PT suggests!
  • loveflowers4
    loveflowers4 Posts: 21 Member
    riouxha- Thank you, I will give those a try tonight!!! Oh my goodness~ you would have loved to have me for a patient(LOL) I was extremely high risk ( I had everything you could think of) I'm lucky everything turned out ok!!
  • riouxha
    riouxha Posts: 995 Member
    Haha i never hope for high risks! I actually just finished my term there and i'm gonna miss it soo much. being surrounded by babies is always a treat to a stressfull day haha.
  • loveflowers4
    loveflowers4 Posts: 21 Member
    LOL~ I did'nt mean it as a good thing ( if it came across wrong) I meant I was a challenge with all the health issues! It sounded like a great experience for you! P. S. I love babies too!!( ha - I've got 4) Thanks for your responses!!!
  • riouxha
    riouxha Posts: 995 Member
    not a problem and good luck . And mom's of four dont usually need my help much anyways :P
  • You most certainly can recover from this condition. Body by Trimester, the pre and postnatal DVD series emphasizes abdominal strength and how to repair diastasis recti in the postnatal edition. Check it out and good luck! www.bodybytrimester.com
  • loveflowers4
    loveflowers4 Posts: 21 Member
    Thank you so much!!! I ended up going to the doctors and they said I have a ventral hernia and diastasis. So I will be getting that fixed on the 13th.( they will be fixing my muscles too). I will look into those DVD's~ might be excellent to use after my surgery!! Thanks :flowerforyou:
  • hira12jan
    hira12jan Posts: 12 Member
    Hi just wondering if you are getting surgery for hernia? or maybe u did already? How are they fixing it?
  • grbhmb
    grbhmb Posts: 12
    Loveflowers4 - how did your surgery go?

    I have a similar condition and had it repaired before I had
    more c-secs and two more hernias and a big diastasis recti split.
  • loveflowers4
    loveflowers4 Posts: 21 Member
    Sorry I have't checked the mesage board for awhile.

    I had my surgery last summer ( in June) Mine was rough but I have some serious medical conditions that make things difficult for me. They did fix my hernia and the diastasis ( pushed my hernia back in and pulled the muscles back together. I have a 7 inch scar in the middle of my stomach and a seroma (which is a fluid pocket &it is still there ~ not a happy camper about that!!! I call it my "NOSE" ( cause that's what it looks like) :) UGH!!! I'm going to see another surgeon to see if it's normal ( having a seroma a year later) so I'll update that later :)

    BUT I will say I CAN tell my stomach muscles feel tighter and my sides look pulled in ( hope that makes sense) SO once this seroma gets dealt with I will be happy with my results!!