Diastasis recti and posture

Body: 

Firstly i just wanted to say thank you for all the support given here. Since discovering my pop (mainly uterus) i have mentioned it to friends but no one else seems affected, idont believe this to be the case, i wonder how many women walk around with a pop unaware of it.
I have a an abdominal seperation of around 3 fingers just above my belly button and have suspected issues with mycore weakness since giving birth over a year ago. I am slowly rebuilding myself. I believe closing my Diastasis recti will help my core but i can't seem to do it inww posture,it seems to be the opposite. Also are there any same exercises i can do on my gym ball. I am confused about the principles of intaabdominal pressure, i would reallyhelp it if someone could point me in the direction of some safe exercises as i am finding alot of the information confusing and just goes over my head.

Hi Angeli,

Eventually we will have good data on this subject.

A diastasis in the abdominal wall is exactly the same biodynamic principle as a diastasis in the pelvic floor. If there were no diastasis in the pelvic floor, there would be no prolapse, and this is why everyone is so focused on the pelvic floor. However, upstream of the pelvic floor diastasis are heavy pelvic organs pressing against and stretching layers of fascia. Eventually, they create a diastasis. We work at correcting the source of the problem so the diastasis can lessen - and in some percentage of younger women, close altogether.

I believe there are better things you can do than crunchy kinds of exercises on a gym ball. This is akin to kegels, but if you believe such exercise will help, check out the MummyTummy info and look into PT.

If you are lifting your chest while keeping your lower belly soft, shoulders pulled down, upper back flat and broad and head/neck pulled up, your abdominal wall will be stretched into its functional dimensions. From here, try gentle firebreathing in a chair. This will both stretch and contract your abs. Another great exercise for diastasis recti is to sit in WW posture, grasp your wrists above your head, and do gentle twists from side to side. Breathe in when you twist to the right, breathe out when you twist to the left. You can do this standing as well, but make sure your hips stay stationary and positioned toward the front while you twist. My WWYoga dvd will contain many more exercises that will undoubtedly be great for postpartum moms.

Christine

Thanks - will definitely give those a go. Also i wasn't thinking of crunch type exercises on the gym ball but more the floor bridge and the plank? would these be ok?

hi there
I had a diastasis a bit smaller than yours but not much, after my first pg. it got a bit worse during my second pg, and nothing I did between those two pg's nor after the second helped at all. now, mind you, I am a PT so I 'know' how to do ab strengthening.
anyway, after my third pg I 'officially' found my POP and found my way here. I dont know if it was the posture, walking in the posture or the firebreathing and nauli, but by the time I got pg the fourth time, I had NO diastasis. NONE. after the fourth baby was born I could feel the muscles part a *bit* if I tried to do a sit up (bad! I know, but I was curious) but not even one-finger's breadth apart. I had another baby 15 mo ago and just checked...no diastisis.
I think, based on my own experience, that it is not that closing the diastasis will strengthen your core, but once your abdominals are working as they should, the diastisis will close to some degree on its own.
maybe it doesnt matter, but those are my thoughts.
my advice to you would be to forget the crunches and situps, learn the firebreathing and nauli, stay in posture. give it some time and gauge from there.