How to heal a diastasis
Do you have a diastasis? According to research, 32% of women still have diastasis at 12 months postpartum, and this is a big contributor to pelvic floor and core dysfunction. In this video, I demonstrate how to check for diastasis and share how hypopressive breathing helped me heal mine. Discover the power of low pressure fitness and learn how to engage your core effectively. Let’s close that gap and optimize your core function!
How to Check for Diastasis Recti
Checking for diastasis recti is simple and can be done at home. Here are the steps:
- Lie Down: Lay flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Relax your upper body.
- Position Your Hands: Place your fingertips just above your belly button, pointing downward toward your pelvis.
- Lift Your Head: Gently lift your head and shoulders off the floor, engaging your abdominal muscles slightly as if doing a small crunch. Avoid straining or pulling your neck.
- Feel for Separation: Press your fingers into the midline of your abdomen, feeling for a gap or softness between the left and right abdominal muscles.
- A gap of two or more finger widths is typically considered diastasis recti.
- Check above and below the belly button to assess the extent of the separation.
- Repeat this inside the bellybutton and below the bellybutton. It is common to have a bigger separation inside the bellybutton.
What is a diastasis
An abdominal diastasis recti is when the rectus abdominis (the six pack muscle) gets lengthened and separates from its connection to the linea alba (band of fascia) in the midline of your stomach. This creates a space between the two muscles.
Image from:
The. The Postpartum Physio. The Postpartum Physio. Published December 3, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2024. https://www.thepostpartumphysio.co.uk/blog/what-is-diastasis-rectus
How to measure a diastasis?
There are a few known ways to measure a diastasis. Perhaps the most precise way is by use of ultrasound. Since most of us don’t have access to an ultrasound machine, there is a way a way to measure your diastasis using your fingers. This was described in the beginning of this post here.
Determining the measurements:
- A widening of >2.7 cm at the umbilical level (Rath, et al 1996)
- A finger with of more than 2.5 fingers
What causes a Diastasis?
A diastasis occurs most commonly during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the rectus abdominis muscles separate down the midline to accommodate the growing baby. This is a normal aspect of the uterus growing and happens in every pregnancy.
What is wrong with having a diastasis
As I mentioned above, a diastasis happens during every pregnancy. There is nothing wrong with having a diastasis. Optimally, a diastasis will close within the first three months after delivery. A diastasis becomes problematic when there is still a significant separation at 3 months postpartum.
A diastasis that is problematic can contribute to:
- Prolapse
- Incontinence
- Distended belly
- Back pain
- Pelvic Pain
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Core dysfunction
- Overall core weakness
Can A Diastasis be healed?
Yes. A diastasis can heal on its own with time. However, it is common to need guidance to optimize this healing, such as knowing what exercises to avoid and which exercises will assist.
Should you get surgery for a diastasis?
There may be cases where surgery could be required to close a diastasis. I encourage you to try the tips in this post before seeking surgical options.
What exercises to avoid to heal a diastasis
Certain exercises can make a diastasis worse or cause a delay in healing. Especially early on postpartum, it is best to avoid certain core strengthening exercises that significantly increase pressure in the abdomen, such as:
- Crunches
- Bicycle
- Leg lowering
- Boat pose in Pilates
These exercises can make it difficult to recover a diastasis since they can create a “doming” effect, increase pressure, push the intra-abdominal organs down, and inhibit deep core muscle activation.
What exercises help to heal a diastasis?
As mentioned above, certain exercises should be avoided, especially in the fist year after delivery. Here are some exercise alternatives that are better for your postpartum recovery:
- Instead of crunches: Do Low Pressure Fitness and Hypopressive Exercise routines
- Instead of the bicycle: Do Hypopressive poses that activate the obliques
- Instead of burpees: Do squats and lunges
- Instead of long jogging for cardio: Do some sprints, go for a swim, use the elliptical, or walk on a treadmill at an incline
How can hypopressive breathing be used to heal a diastasis?
Hypopressive breathing can help to close a diastasis. Hyporessive breathing can help to reflexively activate the deep core and pelvic floor muscles.
How to perform hypopressive breathing:
- Stand or sit with good posture
- Inhale and expand the ribcage in all directions (do not breathe into your belly)
- As you exhale grow taller and keep the rib cage elevated
This is the way you should breathe throughout the day when you are standing or sitting. Belly breathing can be down when lying down, but ribcage breathing should be your primary breathing method.
Check out this post on the benefits of hypopressive breathing:
The Benefits of Hypopressive Breathing
Other lifestyle considerations for healing a diastasis:
- Manage constipation: constipation and straining for bowel movements can make it difficult to close a diastasis
- Stay hydrated: The abdominal fascia requires good hydration to shorten and strengthen. Adequate water intake also helps to manage constipation.
- A mindful diet: Nutrition can play a big role in managing constipation and ensuring the body has the nutrients required for optimal healing. Fiber intake can help with digestion, probiotics can help keep a healthy gut, getting adequate protein is essential for building muscle, and consuming healthy fats can help hydrate our connective tissue.
Conclusion
Diastasis recti is a manageable condition with proper care and exercise. Regularly checking for abdominal separation, avoiding harmful movements, and committing to safe core-strengthening exercises can restore your abdominal health and improve your overall quality of life. Remember, consistency and patience are key—healing takes time, but with the right approach, recovery is entirely possible.
References
- The. The Postpartum Physio. The Postpartum Physio. Published December 3, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2024. https://www.thepostpartumphysio.co.uk/blog/what-is-diastasis-rectus
- Beer GM, Schuster A, Seifert B, Mirjana Manestar, Mihic‐Probst D, Weber SA. The normal width of the linea alba in nulliparous women. Clinical Anatomy. 2009;22(6):706-711. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.20836
- Rath A, Attali P, Dumas J, Goldlust D, Zhang J, Chevrel J. The abdominal linea alba: an anatomo-radiologic and biomechanical study. Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy. 1996;18(4):281-288. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01627606
- Low Pressure Fitness level 1 Manual by Tamara Rial
