Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
The abdominal muscles present in women are designed to stretch and widen during pregnancy. If these muscles do not come together after you have delivered your baby, in all likelihood, you are suffering from diastasis recti.
Women who are in the older age bracket, have had multiple pregnancies or delivered a heavier baby could complain of such a condition. Even those with a weak abdomen or excessive abdominal fat are inclined towards diastasis recti.
This condition could lead to aggravated pain in the lower back region and weakening of the abdominal wall. Not being able to get rid of your big belly despite exercising and being careful with your food intake is an indicator of diastasis recti. Listed here are some universal health implications owing to such muscular separation and the resultant exposure of your organs:
- Loss of pelvic stability
- Chronic back pain
- Risk of developing a hernia
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Limited foundation for internal organs
- Postural changes with muscle imbalances
If you are one among those or your wife or friend is undergoing the same agony and do not know How to fix diastasis recti, read further. You should follow a tailored approach taking into account your innate abilities and extent of your existing symptoms. The idea is to work towards restoring your core strength and making necessary alterations while consistently tracking your progress. Some recommended modes of treatment include:
Resorting To a Brace
During the initial recovery phase, using a brace for added support works well as a healing technique. The brace successfully addresses any postural or alignment issues that are mostly responsible for worsening your condition.
Temporarily modifying your regular day-to-day activities with the addition of the brace can strengthen your pelvic floor and core abdominal muscles.
Practice Good Posture
Supporting your lower back while sitting by placing a cushion or pillow behind you helps improve your posture. The latter is the first step towards resolving the mystery if you are wondering how to fix diastasis recti. While getting out of bed to stand on the floor, preferably bend your knees, roll over and use your arms to support your body weight. Avoid any heavy lifting to rule out straining your abdominal muscles and ruining your posture further.
Exercising With Caution
Doing traditional sit ups, planks, crunches, or any strenuous form of exercise are absolutely ruled out. There are gentle and effective exercises you can perform at home that strengthen your deep stomach muscles and pelvic region.
These include standing push-ups and diaphragmatic breathing. Even common yoga positions like the bridge pose when done correctly prove helpful. Before commencing your exercise regime, make sure you first get your doctor’s approval.
Once you know that you are battling with the condition of diastasis recti, make a conscious effort to be aware of your every movement. Slight neglect on your part can ruin all efforts put in to overcome the struggle to function normally in the given circumstances. You may be compelled to undergo a surgery to set things right if all else fails.
Ignoring or leaving diastasis recti untreated is not advisable as it will only prolong your agony and subsequent recovery.
