Do you have Diastasis Recti?
Posted by
Carrie H.
If you have ever had a baby, or have gained or lost weight in a short period of time, you may have diastasis recti. Diastasis Recti is the division of the rectus abdominus, the abdominal muscles that runs from your ribs to hips (the long one you can see on fit people ie. the six pack). It can split a little, a lot, or all the way.
Most people that have diastasis recti have no idea. They usually have pot bellies or "pregnant-looking" bellies. They may think they have "excess skin" from a baby or a weight loss. They may think it is weight that has not come off yet. If the tear is severe, they may have a misshapen navel or a navel that has moved. If you are not sure, here is how to check for it:
Lie on your back with feet flat and knees pointed up, like you are about to do a situp. Put your hands behind your head. Bring your chin to chest and then lift some more. Exhale while holding your head there and try to relax the abdominal muscle. If you can't see the tear, put your fingers on your navel. If you have a tear, you can feel space between the two muscle halves. Work up and back on the center of the abdominal to see how long the tear is or if it is higher or lower than the navel. Check the width with fingers. People can have anywhere from one finger to ten finger widths between the halves of muscle.
If you feel a tear, there are several things you can do to keep it from tearing further. Do not do lat pull downs or any muscle pulling from overhead. Do not attempt to lift anything heavy that requires the rectus abdominus. Discontinue all traditional abdominal exercises, Pilates, and yoga. Never use your abdominals to sit up or lie down. To stand or sit from a lying position, roll to your side first and push up with your hands. Try not to twist with force.
This feels very limiting to the active person, but you can also do some things to help it heal. Wear a girdle all waking hours of the day. Try to keep your abdominals pulled in as often as possible. Practice "elevators:" pull your navel toward your spine, hold, release, repeat. Try to pull farther in, hold, release. Do pulses at the top of the elevator. Make sure you can breathe while doing these exercises and never raise the shoulders while doing them.
Check out materials at www.maternalfitness.com
Also, surgery is an option if the exercises above seem to not be working for you.
Posted by Carrie H.
If you have ever had a baby, or have gained or lost weight in a short period of time, you may have diastasis recti. Diastasis Recti is the division of the rectus abdominus, the abdominal muscles that runs from your ribs to hips (the long one you can see on fit people ie. the six pack). It can split a little, a lot, or all the way.
Most people that have diastasis recti have no idea. They usually have pot bellies or "pregnant-looking" bellies. They may think they have "excess skin" from a baby or a weight loss. They may think it is weight that has not come off yet. If the tear is severe, they may have a misshapen navel or a navel that has moved. If you are not sure, here is how to check for it:
Lie on your back with feet flat and knees pointed up, like you are about to do a situp. Put your hands behind your head. Bring your chin to chest and then lift some more. Exhale while holding your head there and try to relax the abdominal muscle. If you can't see the tear, put your fingers on your navel. If you have a tear, you can feel space between the two muscle halves. Work up and back on the center of the abdominal to see how long the tear is or if it is higher or lower than the navel. Check the width with fingers. People can have anywhere from one finger to ten finger widths between the halves of muscle.
If you feel a tear, there are several things you can do to keep it from tearing further. Do not do lat pull downs or any muscle pulling from overhead. Do not attempt to lift anything heavy that requires the rectus abdominus. Discontinue all traditional abdominal exercises, Pilates, and yoga. Never use your abdominals to sit up or lie down. To stand or sit from a lying position, roll to your side first and push up with your hands. Try not to twist with force.
This feels very limiting to the active person, but you can also do some things to help it heal. Wear a girdle all waking hours of the day. Try to keep your abdominals pulled in as often as possible. Practice "elevators:" pull your navel toward your spine, hold, release, repeat. Try to pull farther in, hold, release. Do pulses at the top of the elevator. Make sure you can breathe while doing these exercises and never raise the shoulders while doing them.
Check out materials at www.maternalfitness.com
Also, surgery is an option if the exercises above seem to not be working for you.