Ab separation also know as diastasis recti can be easily missed by so many women. Not many new mums have access to a women's physio check up soon after having their baby. It's only when they notice it themselves after the bump reduces or realise they have what is sometimes called a 'pouch tummy'. And for many women, they don't even know they have a gap, but may struggle with any core involved movement or exercise.
I have assessed numerous post natal clients of all ages and informed them that actually the reason they are doming during crunches or struggle to engage their core, is due to a gap between their abdominal muscles, especially around the belly button, caused during pregnancy. We have connective tissue that runs down the middle called the linea alba and this can separate when the tummy is pushed out by the growing foetus to baby. Most women can live perfectly good lives with a two finger gap as long as everything is functioning. This is the key word: FUNCTIONING.
It’s all about tensegrity. If there is no tension between the diastasis recti gap and it’s quite soft and giving when some pressure is applied, then it’s not functioning as it should. We have three layers of our core and most people just think of the external layer which shows the six pack, but actually we need to engage the two internal layers to give us proper core strength and function.
How do we do that? Well, it’s a multifaceted approach, but here are 3 expert tips I would advise to help diastasis recti:
1. Breath. Learn how to breathe when moving. We should never hold our breath when exerting ourselves eg pushing, pulling, lifting, jumping etc. I teach to exhale on exertion which avoids the build up of intra abdominal pressure, which not only pushes the abs out (the dome effect) but also pushes pressure down on the pelvic floor. We should also learn how to breath deep into the belly and expand the ribs rather than shallow breathing within the chest cavity. This gives more movement to the tight core muscles plus allows more oxygen into the core and increased blood flow, which in turn will aid the diastasis recti.
2. Digestion. Having good gut motility will avoid bloating and constipation which as you can imagine will only add to the pressure within this area. Focus on plenty of fibre to aid the function of the intestines and colon and reduce any expanse internally which may push out towards the abs or down towards the pelvic floor.
3. Posture. How you hold yourself most of the time contributes a lot to how your muscles affect your midline and abs. Do you grip your tummy when standing? Do you hunch over maybe sitting at a desk? The muscles you overuse or underuse will definitely affect the midline and diastasis recti and affect whether they have a chance at being able to knit back closer or stay pulled apart. So learning how to open up the frontline and relax tight muscles will make a huge difference to the abdominal muscles.
Fortunately, I am in a great position to be able to help clients from a PT and massage perspective which allows me to give that holistic package. I often start with the breathwork and teach how to engage the core, and then I incorporate massage to release tight muscles like the obliques (muscles around the sides of the waist) which maybe pulling the abdominals apart and causing the diastasis recti. It's not a quick fix but with a multifaceted approach, you can really make a difference and create a stronger, functioning core. See a great case study with a previous client Rebecca:
Please contact me if you would like any further advice on this or other related post natal issues.
See related services at https://www.nicolapeaty.com/post-natal
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