“The Bogeyman” Called Diastasis

Abdominal muscle diastasis is a condition in which the right and left sides of the rectus abdominis muscle have separated. The rectus abdominis is a muscle that originates from the xiphoid process below the sternum and inserts into the pubic bone. The left and right sides of the muscle run alongside each other, perfectly parallel, and are reinforced and connected by the linea alba. This imaginary line runs directly from the xiphoid process and ends at the symphysis pubis—the junction of the pubic bones. Every woman who has been pregnant is familiar with this special line. It is precisely the line that darkens as the belly grows. During pregnancy, it is called the linea negra. Its pigmentation returns to its original state approximately 6 months after childbirth.

Pregnancy is a time when the rectus abdominis muscle naturally separates. After the 20th week of pregnancy, diastasis occurs in almost every pregnant woman. Although this is a physiological phenomenon, by taking proper care of her body and adopting the right movement patterns, a woman can keep diastasis within normal limits.

The pregnant belly grows, stretching the skin, subcutaneous tissue, fascia, and muscles. And of course, the uterus and the baby inside it are growing as well. The shape of the belly itself, the mother’s overall posture, natural muscle tone, and tissue quality all have a major impact on diastasis. If a woman exercises sensibly and regularly during this period, her abdominal wall will be sufficiently active, flexible, and, above all, prepared for childbirth and the expulsion of the fetus.

After childbirth, the body undergoes significant changes that gradually restore the mother’s body to its original state. If a woman was healthy and energetic before giving birth and had good movement patterns, she will be back in shape within about 3 months after giving birth, and her abdominal wall will have tightened.

Sometimes you need to give your stomach a little help. In this case, it’s extremely important to know how. You definitely won’t shrink your stomach or flatten your belly with sit-ups and crunches!!! On the contrary, these exercises will actually make the problem worse!!! The best and safest alternative is to see a physical therapist who specializes in this issue.

However, diastasis is not limited to pregnant women. Physiological diastasis can also be observed in newborns. Through proper exercise and the gradual strengthening of the core, the abdominal wall naturally becomes firmer overall, and the gap closes.

Diastasis doesn’t spare the male population either. We can see this gap mainly in people with “potbellies” who have a lot of visceral fat. In my experience, “beer bellies” are the hardest to work with.

If we want to get diastasis under control, we need to know what type of diastasis we have and which activities, positions, and exercises cause it to worsen. For a physical therapist, an abdomen with diastasis is an immediate sign that the deep stabilizing system is not functioning properly. This is because the abdominal wall is part of the “core” system. Therefore, when working with diastasis, we don’t just exercise the abdomen and the rectus abdominis. We work on diaphragmatic breathing, intra-abdominal pressure, the deep transverse abdominal muscle, the oblique abdominal muscles, and the pelvic floor muscles. In addition, it is extremely important to position the pelvis and chest in their correct physiological alignment.

When treating diastasis, it is very important to correct a woman’s overall posture and the movement patterns she uses throughout the day. This means she must know how to get up from a chair correctly, move from a lying to a sitting position, breastfeed in the correct position, and carry and lift her baby properly.

If diastasis has already developed, it requires diagnosis by a physical therapist, as well as proper, long-term, mindful exercise and the use of the abdominal muscles during everyday activities.

You can’t beat diastasis without a comprehensive approach!