So you’re told you have Diastasis recti…

So you’ve been told you have Diastasis Recti…Dr. Jackie Riedel takes over the blog today to give you all the information on what it is and how we can help!

What is it and what can we do about it?

Diastasis recti, also known as rectus abdominus recti, is most common in pregnant women as the abdomen stretches to help accommodate the growing baby.  This is totally normal and necessary but sometimes this stretching may not go back to normal following delivery and intervention is needed.  Anyone can develop a diastasis recti but it is most common in pregnant and postpartum women.

To help understand diastasis recti, it’s helpful to go over a little anatomy review.  The rectus abdominus is an abdominal muscle that runs vertically along the front of your abdomen and is also known as our six-pack muscles.  The rectus abdominus helps to support the lower back and pelvis when we move and transfer weight. The process of our abdominal muscles stretching is totally normal during pregnancy but can become a problem when the muscles separate from the abdominal midline connective tissue. This tissue is called the linea alba. Once the baby is delivered, the linea alba can heal and will come back together. Sometimes this tissue becomes overstretched and does not close as much as it should and is referred to as a diastasis recti.

How do you know if you have a diastasis recti?  This is most commonly noted after pregnancy and some signs include noting a visible bulge that protrudes just above or below the belly button.  Another common report that patients will note is coning or doming when you contract your abdominal muscles.  Patients also may experience low back, pelvic, hip pain, difficulties with lifting and carrying activities and pelvic floor issues like urinary leakage or constipation.

A diastasis recti is best assessed when lying on your back with your hips and knees bent so your feet are flat.  To assess yourself, place the tips of your fingers at your belly button and press down while feeling for a gap as you lift your head and shoulders slightly as if you’re about to perform a crunch.  This can also be performed with your finger placed about 2 inches above and below your belly button to best appreciate any diastasis.  A little gap between the muscles is normal but if you feel a gap of two or more finger widths, you likely have a diastasis.  This may suggest you’d benefit from checking in with a physical therapist to help further evaluate things and to learn more about strategies to help improve upon the diastasis - especially if you’ve experienced any of the symptoms mentioned above.

During an initial PT evaluation, you and your physical therapist will talk and review any symptoms that you are experiencing that would ultimately help guide assessment and treatment to help reach your goals.  In addition to evaluating your diastasis, an evaluation would also include a full body assessment focusing primarily on the lumbar spine, hips, core, and pelvic floor.  The diastasis recti is often a piece of a bigger puzzle that we work on to help get you feeling back to 100%.

Your PTs here at The METHOD are here to help - book your FREE DISCOVERY CALL to learn more!