Diastasis Rehabilitation

Wow…I’ve certainly been tardy in keeping up with my blog. I can’t believe it’s almost the end of January, 2010!

Well some great news! I just got back from New York and took a pretty intense workshop on Diastasis Recti. Or as many more people know it; when the rectus abdominis splits or seperates during pregnancy. I thought I knew everything there was to know about this condition, but there was definitely more to learn!

For example, did you know that Diastasis Recti is not only limited to pregnant women? That men can also get this condition? Children too! How about the fact that it doesn’t self correct either – most people don’t know they have a seperation, thus making it alot more common than the stats that are available.

So what causes a diastasis? A forward forceful pressure on the weakest point of the linea alba; the belly button. This pressure can come from a growing uterus, a beer belly, pilates 100′s or crunches incorrectly. It’s these continuous movements or stresses that stretch the connective tissue (linea alba) seperating the rectus abdominis right down the midline. Some seperations are bigger than others, but only a small percentage of pregnant women don’t experience a seperation at all. Although most of the information available says a true diastasis has to be a 2 1/2 finger width or more, I ask you, then why do subsequent pregnancies make it worse? This is why women tend to show so much quicker the second time around.

Regardless, if you have a seperation, big or very small, it makes sense to me that you should avoid anything that could exacerbate the problem altogether. Focusing on core stability and isometric exercises in a seated, standing and supine position can not only close your Diastasis, but stop it from recurring. For more info on how you can close your seperation and have a flat tummy again, drop me an email!