Fixing separated abdominal muscles

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rcharlee
rcharlee Posts: 182 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone, especially women who have had babies, had success closing the space in their abdominal muscles? I was just told about this separation by a friend with a 1 year old. My kid is 10 months, and I had never heard of Diastasis recti.

If you have had this, what exercises did you do to help get those abs looking good?

Replies

  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    abdominal shape is genetic... some are symetrical, others are staggered, some have deep indents in them, some people only have a 4 pack, some have 8 packs etc, for example when i have gotten lean in the past i only have a 4 pack with the bottom two abs fused to my pelvis.. you cant change the shape of muscles you can only make them larger... just keep trying to get lean so you know what you have... not sure about how women having babies affectes this but im dont think it could be changed.. pics would help so we could have an idea what ur talkin about.
  • AthenaErr
    AthenaErr Posts: 282 Member
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    Have a google for something called the tupler technique or diastasis recti - on youtube you will see adapted ab exercises if you search for the same. The tricky thing is not to do crunches or sit ups with a diastasis as you will separate the muscles further making your stomach appear bigger as your organs push out through the separation.

    Dont be too disheartened you can fix even reallt big separations with the right exercises
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Unless your intestines or uterus actual stick out between the right and left halves of your abdomen you don't have diastasis recti. When you are pregnant the rectus abdominis stretches to allow room for the baby. The women most at risk for actually having it separate are women who carry multiples. Regular abdominal exercises and time will strengthen the abdominals. No need to do special exercises. I had two very large babies within the last 4 years and regular ab workouts worked.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Doing plank did really helped mine after giving birth to 6 kids. It is easy to do everyday, cost nothing and take 10 minutes of your time.
  • barefoot76
    barefoot76 Posts: 314 Member
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    Don't listen to anyone who tells you it CAN'T be fixed. I have had four children, I am under five feet tall, and all my babies were over 8 pounds. Look at my profile pics if you want to see my stomach. I had a four-finger separation between my abs after the fourth was born and was just sure I had lost it forever, and now it is less than one inch.

    Do lots and lots and lots of Ab Vacuums. This is a fancy way of saying SUCK IT IN. As hard as you can, suck your stomach up into your rib cage. Try to hold it for 10, 30, 60 seconds or more. You can do this anywhere: standing up, sitting down, at your desk, in your car, waiting in line. The more often you suck it in, the more the muscle behind your "six pack" will tighten and pull the six pack back together.

    If you can, do Elevator Exercises at the same time. This is where you suck in the lower abdomen and pelvic floor (do you do kegels? same thing). Tighten and hold for as long as you can, all day, every day.

    Here's what NOT to do: CRUNCHES!!! Don't do these until your diastasis recti heals. When you "crunch" on your back and lift your head, you will see your ab muscles separate and the rift between them appear. This is pushing your muscles apart and making the situation worse. Hold off on crunches. Lower abdominal exercises (like leg lifts) are fine, so are planks (especially planks since you need to suck it in to hold up that belly and straighten that back!).

    You can do it! :-D
  • rcharlee
    rcharlee Posts: 182 Member
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    abdominal shape is genetic... some are symetrical, others are staggered, some have deep indents in them, some people only have a 4 pack, some have 8 packs etc, for example when i have gotten lean in the past i only have a 4 pack with the bottom two abs fused to my pelvis.. you cant change the shape of muscles you can only make them larger... just keep trying to get lean so you know what you have... not sure about how women having babies affectes this but im dont think it could be changed.. pics would help so we could have an idea what ur talkin about.

    When we have babies the uterus pushes the abdominal muscles to the side, in order to house the growing baby. Diastasis Recti does not have to do with the shape of the muscles, but rather the connective tissues that keeps them together. I personally don't know if I actually have it, but if I do I'm wanting to strengthen the muscles in the correct way.

    Here's a link with video and pictures to explain the condition:

    http://dianelee.ca/education/article_diastasis.php
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    You can't fix diastasis recti without surgery.

    However, you can still work out and you can still look great.

    That being said, DO NOT do crunches! I used to do them like crazy on the swiss ball, until one day a doctor who saw me doing them at the gym approached me. She saw my "ridge" (you know what I'm talking about, ha!) and told me that it's a hernia; the muscles have separated, and doing crunches on the ball actually pushes them further apart. That ridge is your organs pushing up and in between the separation, and it can increase the width of the separation.

    blessings.
  • AthenaErr
    AthenaErr Posts: 282 Member
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    Youtube videos show you how to check for it. Lie in a sit up position, and check with your fingers if you can feel a separation in the abdominal midline as you raise your head - video makes this so much clearer
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    abdominal shape is genetic... some are symetrical, others are staggered, some have deep indents in them, some people only have a 4 pack, some have 8 packs etc, for example when i have gotten lean in the past i only have a 4 pack with the bottom two abs fused to my pelvis.. you cant change the shape of muscles you can only make them larger... just keep trying to get lean so you know what you have... not sure about how women having babies affectes this but im dont think it could be changed.. pics would help so we could have an idea what ur talkin about.

    When we have babies the uterus pushes the abdominal muscles to the side, in order to house the growing baby. Diastasis Recti does not have to do with the shape of the muscles, but rather the connective tissues that keeps them together. I personally don't know if I actually have it, but if I do I'm wanting to strengthen the muscles in the correct way.

    Here's a link with video and pictures to explain the condition:

    http://dianelee.ca/education/article_diastasis.php

    You have diastasis recti if you attempt a crunch (or even lie flat on your back in bed and move to sit straight upward from the hips) and get a vertical (under breasts to pelvis) ridge -- like a mountain ridge (ha!) sticking up there in the center of your abdomen.

    blessings.
  • rcharlee
    rcharlee Posts: 182 Member
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    Ladies thank you so much!
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    abdominal shape is genetic... some are symetrical, others are staggered, some have deep indents in them, some people only have a 4 pack, some have 8 packs etc, for example when i have gotten lean in the past i only have a 4 pack with the bottom two abs fused to my pelvis.. you cant change the shape of muscles you can only make them larger... just keep trying to get lean so you know what you have... not sure about how women having babies affectes this but im dont think it could be changed.. pics would help so we could have an idea what ur talkin about.

    When we have babies the uterus pushes the abdominal muscles to the side, in order to house the growing baby. Diastasis Recti does not have to do with the shape of the muscles, but rather the connective tissues that keeps them together. I personally don't know if I actually have it, but if I do I'm wanting to strengthen the muscles in the correct way.

    Here's a link with video and pictures to explain the condition:

    http://dianelee.ca/education/article_diastasis.php

    gross you wrecked my day with those pictures... atleast im not informed about the condition. good luck to you.
  • flabulous4
    flabulous4 Posts: 599 Member
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    Pilates is meant to help...but it's so dull... I have diastasis recti myself after having a couple of kids quite close together. It is improving as I took up running and that helps with stomach muscles as it's good for your core - I had a 2.5 finger separation last time I checked (just over an inch). There's a DVD you can get called Pilates for Mums which a physio recommended to me. Good luck!
  • Queen_Christine
    Queen_Christine Posts: 342 Member
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    abdominal shape is genetic... some are symetrical, others are staggered, some have deep indents in them, some people only have a 4 pack, some have 8 packs etc, for example when i have gotten lean in the past i only have a 4 pack with the bottom two abs fused to my pelvis.. you cant change the shape of muscles you can only make them larger... just keep trying to get lean so you know what you have... not sure about how women having babies affectes this but im dont think it could be changed.. pics would help so we could have an idea what ur talkin about.


    I have a ONE PACK and it's really big!
  • BeFitMom
    BeFitMom Posts: 17
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    To repair diastasis recti after pregnancy, you need to start by building a lot of strength back into your deepest abdominal muscle, your Transverse Abdominis, or TvA. When contracted, the TvA compresses the abdomen. (The TvA does not move bone.) Then after this muscle has regained adequate strength, you need to do specialized postnatal rehab exercises that train the muscle to function properly as a stabilizer. All of these exercises should be done with lower spine flexion.
    If your mid line is very wide, more than 3 finger-widths, you can also add manual splinting of your mid line with your hands to assist your TvA.
    In the mean time, do not perform ANY abdominal exercises that lift/flex the upper body off the floor or against the force of gravity, as these moves will make the condition worse. No crunches, oblique pulses, roll-ups, roll-downs, most Pilates mat work, and yoga moves like “boat pose.”
    All women with diastasis should use the “log roll” technique when rising from the floor, or getting out of bed to protect their mid lines.
    BeFit-Mom
  • BondBomb
    BondBomb Posts: 1,781 Member
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    I started out with a 3 finger seperation. I actually went to a trainer that specializes in repairing it through exercises.
    Someone also recommended Lindsay Brin's Core Firing Sequence. Between the two I am now down to 1.5 - 2 finger seperation.
    It took about 2 months.

    Also I gave a copy of the video to my PT and he is now recommending it to other moms.
    Good luck! :)

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