After the birth of a child, not all women quickly restore their previous figure. Many of them face a problem that is not very beautiful belly, often without even realizing that the trouble that has arisen may not only be of an aesthetic nature.
Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles after childbirth or surgery caesarean section– one of the most common complications that requires qualified treatment. If appropriate measures are not taken in time, then a seemingly trivial problem can lead to serious medical consequences.
What is postpartum diastasis?
Translated from Greek, diastasis means discrepancy. In our case, we are talking about the postpartum period and we will talk about the divergence of the abdominal muscles, caused primarily by a recent pregnancy.
Do you have diastasis?
Any woman can check this on her own.
To begin, lie down on your back. Now raise your head and tighten your stomach slightly. Look at him. If you have an elongated roller-like protrusion with smooth outlines in the midline, then there is a very high probability that you have diastasis.
How serious is this pathology?
In this case, you need to know that the discrepancy of the rectus abdominis muscles after childbirth or cesarean section can be expressed to varying degrees. This, in fact, determines the seriousness of your situation.
In surgery, there are three stages of the disease:
- I - when the white line stretches by 5–7 cm;
- II – when the specified distance is exceeded;
- III – characterized by a large diastasis along with a sagging belly.
Depending on how large the discrepancy is (here - how externally noticeable the diastasis is), the treatment method is chosen - whether it is a specially selected complex physical exercise, or surgical intervention.
As you probably noticed, in this article we call diastasis of the abdominal muscles a disease. This pathology never goes away on its own and the method of its correction must be determined by the doctor.
What are the prognosis if the muscle separation is severe enough and the belly sags?
It is very likely that in this case you will be offered surgical correction when the anterior wall abdominal wall strengthens artificially. Muscle plastic surgery can be performed by stretching the patient’s own tissues or using a synthetic endoprosthesis, roughly speaking, the wall is strengthened with a special mesh.
In the absence of associated complications, this operation cannot be classified as complex. As a rule, it lasts up to one and a half hours. As a result, the abdominal muscles come closer to a normal distance and their functional activity is restored. The unpleasant-looking protrusion will disappear, and the stomach will regain its attractive appearance.
Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles is a fairly common problem, especially relevant for women after childbirth.
Body changes after pregnancy can be generally difficult to accept, especially when they cause discomfort not only on a psychological, but also on a physical level.
About 15% of women who give birth experience muscle strain, and due to such a comparative rarity of the problem, there are a variety of legends about it. Three years ago, my older sister came across them in practice: stories on forums, reviews of other mothers about the treatment of diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles after childbirth and the myths associated with it really scared her.
I had to get down to business and study the topic in detail, involving competent doctors in the process. My sister calmed down and after a few months regained her form - and now I will be happy to share with you the experience and information that we discovered during the research process, and tips for dealing with the problem.
Complete educational program on diastasis
In the very center of the abdomen, the so-called rectus muscle runs from top to bottom - this is what we see when we pump up those nice “pack” abs in the gym. Despite its name, which implies a singular number, the rectus muscle actually consists of two mirror-like halves separated by the linea alba, a strip of connective tissue consisting primarily of collagen.
Hormonal changes and the growth of the uterus during pregnancy lead to a decrease in the tone of the linea alba and a change in its structure (by the way, this is why pregnant women have a brown vertical stripe on their abdomen). This is necessary for the normal development of the fetus, which requires more and more space in the mother’s womb. After childbirth, the softened linea alba and rectus muscle gradually return to their normal state.
With diastasis, this process slows down or stops altogether. Between the left and right halves of the rectus muscle there remains a subcutaneous “gap” filled with connective tissue of the linea alba.
Tip: As a rule, tissue restoration after childbirth takes from six to ten weeks. Don't worry about diastasis ahead of schedule and give your body a chance to bounce back naturally.
It is worth noting that stretching of the rectus abdominis muscles can appear not only after childbirth. The reasons may be too much physical exercise, lifting excessive weight, as well as diseases that lead to weakening of connective tissue (hernia, varicose veins, etc.). Accordingly, not only women suffer from diastasis: men and children are also susceptible to this problem.
Myths about muscle strain after childbirth
The Internet is full of unconfirmed information. This is especially true for topics of health and beauty - those that women take most close to their hearts. Diastasis is right at the intersection of these two topics, and there are plenty of myths about it on the Internet - myths that can drive even the calmest girls into hysterics. This happened with my sister: after googling a little, she came to me with square eyes and burst into tears, because she had already managed to “screw up” lifelong physical imperfections and an inevitable divorce. So that nothing like this comes to your mind, I will list all the common myths at once. So this problem is said to be:
- Irreversibly changes the very structure of the abdominal tissues
- Definitely causes pain
- Causes lifelong “mommy belly”
- Leads to constant weakness and almost atrophy of the abdominal muscles
- May cause intestinal prolapse (hernia)
Ladies! All this is a LIE. Do not be fooled by publications with such statements, but if anxiety prevails over common sense, go for a consultation with a doctor. We selected a qualified specialist for my sister, who thoroughly and calmly dispelled all her worries.
Advice: if you decide that you need a professional, make your choice consciously. Some doctors - most often, unfortunately, in government institutions - do not have the tact and temperament necessary to communicate with the delicate psyche of women who have recently given birth. Don't add to your worries the worries of poor service!
Predisposition and prevention
There are a number of factors that increase the risk of developing diastasis recti after childbirth. These include:
- Miniature or, on the contrary, obese physique
- Pregnancy with twins, triplets, etc.
- Second and subsequent pregnancies
- Late age of expecting a baby
- Bad muscle tone
- Backward curvature of the spine thoracic region(kyphosis)
In addition, if you had diastasis after a previous pregnancy, the chance of having it again becomes almost one hundred percent.
But there is good news: the development of the problem can be prevented with a fairly high probability. If you are just planning a pregnancy or want to take preventive measures for the future, the best way there will be sports: trained abdominal muscles quickly return tone and natural position after the birth of the baby.
Well, during pregnancy, the main preventive method will be to avoid stress on the rectus abdominis muscles. To reduce them as much as possible, do not wear heavy clothes and avoid shoes with heels (the changed center of gravity causes the abs to tense up). Rise from supine position, rolling onto your side and helping yourself with your hands, instead of getting up with help muscle strength press.
Tip: Using maternity corsages can also help reduce muscle strain.
Degrees and types of muscle divergence
Doctors distinguish several degrees of severity of diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles. It is important to know them for self-diagnosis, which will be discussed in the next section:
- The first stage of the problem is characterized by an expansion of the white line by four to five centimeters. Changes in the shape of the abdomen are minimal or completely invisible to the eye.
- The second stage is the divergence of the muscles by six to ten centimeters. The change in the shape of the abdomen becomes noticeable visually - it bulges forward, and the skin in the middle becomes flabby.
- At the third stage, the muscles are separated from each other by a considerable distance - up to fifteen centimeters. The abdomen sags greatly, the skin is flabby. The third stage can provoke an umbilical hernia, so it is better to treat it under the supervision of a specialist.
In addition to this classification, diastasis of the rectus muscles varies in type: discrepancy above the navel, below it and throughout the entire area of the abdomen. The differences are most clearly visible in a live photo.
How to determine for yourself
Well, now about the main thing: how to determine whether you have a divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles. This is a simple procedure, but remember: it should be carried out no earlier than a month and a half after childbirth - the tissues are still being restored during this period, and there is a high probability that diastasis “discovered” too early will go away on its own.
To check for muscle separation, lie on your back. Place the fingertips of one hand in the center of your abdomen. Then raise your head without straining your shoulders: this will lead to a slight contraction of the abdominal muscles. Without lowering your head, lightly press your fingertips on your stomach. “Symptoms” of the presence of diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles after childbirth during such a test are clearly visible both to the touch and visually in the form of a “dip” under the skin, right in the middle of the abdomen, between the right and left rectus muscles.
Advice: it is inconvenient to measure the size of the discrepancy in centimeters on your own, so remember - with the first degree, two or three fingers fit into the “hole”, with the second - four or five, more - with the third.
Repeat the procedure for the areas above and below the navel. If you encounter difficulties during self-diagnosis, contact a surgeon for a test or go for an ultrasound. The latter is especially important for ladies with a curvy physique - manual examination may not give reliable results even with the participation of a specialist.
Treatment of diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles after childbirth
There are two main methods used to treat the rectus abdominis muscles after childbirth: exercise or surgery. The preference for one or the other depends on the severity of the muscle discrepancy. The first stage can be treated without problems with the correct physical activity. If you start on time, exercises can also help with the second stage of the problem. With the third, surgery is almost always prescribed.
Tip: Don't worry in advance if you suffer from severe muscle separation. Modern methods of surgical intervention are effective and leave virtually no traces - I will talk about this in more detail in the section below.
Choose correct exercises for training Exercises
The natural desire that arises in most women is to start pumping up the abs in order to strengthen the muscles and make them “fall into place.” This is exactly what my sister thought about first - and this is how she managed to increase her diastasis from the first to the second stage. This approach is fundamentally wrong: abdominal exercises can only aggravate the condition, just like some yoga poses and fitness techniques. Here is a complete list of what NOT to do:
- Lying on a fitness ball
- Practice yoga techniques of belly breathing (vacuum, “fire breathing”, etc.)
- Practice asanas aimed at stretching the abdominal muscles (gomukhasana, adho mukha svanasana, etc.)
- Standard exercises for the abdominal muscles (crunches, twists, planks, push-ups, etc.)
- Any exercises that require you to take a knee-elbow position
In addition, any burden remains prohibited - which, by the way, includes your newborn child. It is recommended to wear it exclusively using a special belt or sling, while not forgetting to wear a bandage to fix the abdomen.
So, we’ve sorted out what not to do. What set of exercises should you choose to successfully treat diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles after childbirth at home? The doctor advised my sister to do five types of exercises, which I will discuss below.
The first is pelvic lifts from a lying position. To perform, you need to lie on your back on a hard surface and bend your knees. With your feet on the floor, slowly lift your hips up, using your abdominal and buttock muscles. At the top, when your body is in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders, hold for a few seconds and then slowly lower back down. The exercise is repeated ten times, and it needs to be done three times a day (in a row with a short rest between approaches or at other convenient times - for example, in the morning, afternoon and evening).
The second exercise is a variation of the first, only now, along with raising the pelvis, it is necessary to raise one leg so that at the peak point it forms a single line with the body. Everything else is done in exactly the same way, and you need to repeat the technique once a day ten times for each leg.
For the third exercise, wall squats, you will need a small exercise ball or Pilates ball. The exercise is performed like this:
- Choose a flat wall to lean against
- Press your back against her so that she is as straight as possible
- Slowly lower your back against the wall until your knees are bent at right angles
- Hold the ball between your knees and hold in this position for about half a minute.
- Slowly return to the starting straight position without releasing the ball.
You need to repeat the exercise five times once a day.
The next technique is foot slides. To perform it, you should lie on your back on a flat, hard surface. Place your hands under your head and stretch out, and then, raising your legs, begin to make movements like when climbing stairs. Take twenty “steps”, rest and repeat two more times for a total of three approaches.
Tip: If you feel that your abdominal muscles are tightening too much, ask someone to hold your shoulders, pressing you to the floor. This way you can reduce the load without affecting the effectiveness of the exercise too much.
The last exercise is crunches. If you were paying attention, you should think about it: crunches seem to be prohibited... If you thought about it, well done. The secret is that we reduce the load by wrapping the torso in a towel, at the same time providing the stomach with the necessary support. So, the exercise is performed like this:
- Wrap a towel around your torso, paying particular attention to the problem area.
- Lie on your back and hold the ends of the towel in your hands crosswise
- Start doing crunches by lifting your head, neck and shoulders
- At the same time, pull the ends of the towel, easing muscle strain.
Do ten reps. Like the first exercise, crunches need to be performed in three approaches.
If you do the exercises at least three times a week (it’s better, of course, not to overdo it and do it every day), noticeable results will appear within one and a half to two months. Well, in six months to a year the tummy will completely return to normal. So, my sister coped with a six-centimeter muscle discrepancy in eight months of training.
Tip: the effect will be faster and more noticeable if you combine exercise with a high-quality diet and plenty of walks. fresh air. The abundance of oxygen has a beneficial effect on the ability of tissues to recover.
Surgery
For diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles after third degree childbirth, surgery becomes the most successful and logical choice, given the severity of the condition and possible complications. Surgical treatment helps to effectively strengthen the abdominal wall to prevent the problem from reoccurring. There are two main types of operations:
- Tension plastic with local tissues
- Laparoscopy using a mesh endoprosthesis
The second option is preferable because it leaves virtually no traces and allows you to confidently exclude a relapse. The surgeon at the clinic will tell you the details of the operation, as details may vary depending on the doctor, the technology used, etc.
That's all you need to know about diastasis recti after childbirth. I hope that the information will help you successfully cope with the problem and, in the shortest possible time, look with admiration at your before and after photos, admiring excellent results. Good luck!
Often, women discover diastasis several weeks after giving birth. Despite the fact that a lot of time has passed since the birth of the baby, the mother’s belly still remains protruding. At the same time, no one can help cope with this problem. proper nutrition, nor regular physical activity.
Diastasis after childbirth is a fairly common occurrence, and in order to eliminate this problem, it is worth knowing exactly what exercises you need to do to get rid of diastasis.
Normally, the rectus abdominis muscles should fit quite tightly to each other and be connected to each other by a tendon. With diastasis, these muscles diverge along the midline and the gap between them can be from 2-3 cm to 10-15 cm.
Causes of diastasis
The main triggers for the occurrence of diastasis in women are pregnancy and childbirth, and the risk increases if a woman gives birth frequently. As the fetus grows, it begins to put pressure on the anterior abdominal wall, which causes discrepancies and overstretching of its muscles. In addition, the pregnant woman’s body produces the hormone relaxin, which softens the abdominal tendon, making it quite elastic.
After childbirth, the mother's belly should again become the same as before, but this does not always happen. Mothers who were very pregnant during pregnancy are at risk of developing diastasis after childbirth. big belly- in case of multiple pregnancy, polyhydramnios, or if the fetus is very large, the muscles stretch much more than normal. If expectant mother before pregnancy I did not encounter any problems with overweight and devoted time to exercise to strengthen her abdominal muscles both before and after pregnancy, she does not face such a problem.
Is diastasis dangerous?
Often this problem is only of an aesthetic nature - the new mother tries her best to get rid of the formed tummy, but all efforts are in vain. However, it happens that diastasis causes discomfort and sometimes causes serious health problems. Thus, pain may appear in the lower back and abdominal area, which may intensify after lifting weights or prolonged physical activity.
The most dangerous is diastasis of the third degree, when the muscles diverge by 10 cm or more - the abdominal muscles weaken, the risk of hernias and prolapse of internal organs increases.
How to detect diastasis
- lie on your back and bend your knees;
- your fingertips should be placed on the midline of the abdomen 3-5 cm above and below the navel;
- The abdominal muscles should be kept relaxed and the head should be raised off the floor;
- if you feel separation of the abdominal muscles, this indicates diastasis.
Precautions for diastasis
If you have diastasis after childbirth, you should avoid anything that leads to increased intra-abdominal pressure. You should adapt to lifting weights and carrying your baby correctly and monitor how correctly you get out of bed or chair and do not forget to control your cough.
- When coughing, place your palms on your abs and apply light pressure. This way your stomach won't swell too much.
- Make sure your posture is correct - you should not slouch or sag in the lower back.
- You should not lift weights that weigh more than 5-6 kg. When lifting lighter objects, extend your arms by bending your elbows.
- If your baby calms down only in your arms, use it while wearing a postpartum bandage or simply swaddle your belly.
- Get out of bed and get into it only by lying on your side. When you rise from a chair, transfer your weight to your left or right buttock, pull your stomach in, making a semicircle of your body to the left (or right) side. You should stand up mainly using the strength of your legs.
- You should forget about sleeping on your stomach, because in this position there is an increase in pressure on the tendon and anterior abdominal muscles, due to which they stretch even more.
Several months have passed since the birth, the baby has grown up, the first panic has passed, and you have even gotten used to the new life schedule. There are moments when you can calmly admire your reflection. I want a manicure and new lipstick, to the hairdresser and to the salon. And then - show off not only the baby, but also yourself during the walk. And while hair and nails are easy to deal with, sometimes you have to work on your figure. But what if you’ve been eating right and doing sports for a long time, and flat tummy Can't brag? Perhaps this is diastasis - a fairly common postpartum phenomenon, which regular training is not always possible to overcome. But don’t despair, a little new knowledge and regular exercises, and the results will be noticeable.
Diastasis is the separation of the rectus abdominis muscles, which is externally characterized by a soft abdomen and the inability to retract it. The discrepancy occurs due to the fact that the uterus, which has enlarged during pregnancy, presses on the walls of the abdomen, and the white line (the space between the muscles, which in athletes is responsible for those same cubes) increases. And this is normal - muscle discrepancy of 1.5–3 cm during the first one and a half to two months after childbirth does not require correction. Most likely, over time, the stomach will return to normal and regular strengthening exercises will be enough. If more than two months have passed since birth, and the width of the white line exceeds 3 cm, then special exercises will be needed.
In some cases, diastasis cannot be eliminated on its own - if the discrepancy has reached 6–8 cm. In such situations, the only solution is surgery. You should not delay surgery if other methods do not help, since diastasis can contribute to the formation of hernias.
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zhivotov, osteopathic doctor
With diastasis, the abdominal muscles move along the white line
How to determine diastasis
Lie on your back, place your knees bent on the floor, put one hand behind your head, and with the other feel your stomach in the navel area. Feel the line from the navel up and down - if your fingers fall through, this is it, diastasis. How many fingers fit in the gap? If it’s 2–3, then there’s nothing to worry about - it’s grade 1, almost unnoticeable and easily correctable. Three to four fingers that easily fit into the gap indicate the second degree, in which the belly protruding in the lower part is already noticeable, and the third degree is usually noticeable immediately, as it leads to a change in the shape of the abdomen and even hernias. So, if you bothered to determine the presence of diastasis, you are unlikely to have the third degree, but you can work on the rest. Shall we work?
Video: diagnosis of diastasis
Effective exercises
You've probably already done it various exercises on the abs before they discovered diastasis, and most likely they were ineffective. Alas, standard workouts they really don’t help, but this doesn’t mean that you have to put up with your tummy, you just have to act differently now. Now you will learn new exercises that will not only tighten your abdominal muscles, but also improve your overall well-being, muscle tone, and increase endurance and strength.
What is the best way to develop strength and endurance? Requires the greatest voltage static exercises. Try to take any uncomfortable position, say, squat down and spread your arms, and hold on for a minute or two - you will immediately feel all the strength and power of static. Besides active exercises not indicated for diastasis. Training in a measured rhythm, with concentration and targeted tension in the abdominal muscles without protruding the abdomen is exactly what you need. With first degree diastasis, regular strength and static training will return your belly to its place within a couple of months. With the second degree you will have to work longer, but you will notice the result within 3-5 months. In the case of third degree diastasis and especially in the presence of umbilical hernias, you should first consult a doctor. Usually treatment in combination with adequate physical activity is also effective.
Exercise vacuum
One of the simplest exercises is the recently widely advertised vacuum, abdominal retraction. The vacuum can be performed in different positions: lying on your back (this is the easiest option for beginners), standing (a little more difficult, but can be done at any time and almost anywhere) and leaning forward or standing with emphasis on your knees and palms/elbows (the most difficult and effective option). The main thing is to follow the technique and do it regularly, at least once a day, and if possible more often.
The abdomen should be pulled in as much as possible during the exercise; this is achieved by exhaling all the air from the lungs.
So, exercise vacuum:
If it is difficult not to breathe for 15 seconds, take short breaths periodically.
Video: all the subtleties and options for performing a vacuum
Exercise bike
Remember the exercise bike? It strengthens the muscles not only of the abs, but also of the back, and also helps relieve swelling in the legs. The only peculiarity is that with diastasis it needs to be performed a little differently, since when simultaneously lifting the legs, as in the classic version, the abdominal muscles protrude, and this should be avoided.
Lie down straight, place your hands behind your head. Raise one leg bent at the knee, pull it towards you, hold for a second and lower it. The second leg should lie flat on the floor at this time. Do the same with the other leg. To complicate the exercise and increase its effectiveness, do not lower the “quiet” leg to the floor, but hold it horizontally with weight. But do not raise your head and shoulders - this option is not suitable for muscle divergence.
Everyone has probably heard about the plank - almost a panacea exercise - and maybe even tried to do it. And it will also come in handy for diastasis, although, like the previous one, in a slightly edited version. You will have to master the side plank - without exaggeration unique exercise, which literally uses all the muscles. You can say it’s a dream exercise: you just stand for a certain time in the desired position, and the muscles tighten. True, the pose is uncomfortable, but it uses all these muscles at the same time:
When exiting the plank, it is important to smoothly lower to the floor to avoid injury.
The technique is quite simple: you need to lie on your side, rest your elbow and forearm and raise your body as straight as possible. Feel that you are being stretched like a string. Don't bend your knees or let your lower back collapse. You need to hold out for at least 30–40 seconds, and ideally increase the time in the plank to a minute. After the time is up, lower yourself smoothly and repeat on the other side.
If it’s very difficult to stand in a plank and you can’t stand it even for 30 seconds, start with a lighter option: a plank supported on an elevated platform. Everything is exactly the same, just rest your arm bent at the elbow, for example, on the armrest of a chair or a non-slip coffee table. The sofa will not fit - the support must be rigid.
This exercise will not only help tighten your stomach, but also get rid of back pain, which is also familiar to many young mothers.
Video: how to do a side plank
Gluteal bridge
The glute bridge is another magical exercise for strategically important areas: the abs and buttocks.. It's easy to do:
You need to do it 25–30 times, you can do three approaches for greater efficiency. There are two options for advanced ones. The first is not to lower yourself to the floor at the end of the exercise, but to hold your buttocks in weight, and then raise them again, and so on 25–30 times. The second is to do the exercise with emphasis on one leg (throw the second one over the supporting knee). If possible, complications can be combined.
Video: glute bridge technique
Cat
Surely you are also familiar with the cat exercise. It's almost a pleasant stretch, which is also useful. It’s easy to do: get on all fours, resting your knees and palms on the floor, exhale - round your back, stretch your spine up, lower your head and pull your stomach in as much as possible, inhale - raise your head, bend at the lower back and relax your abs. The main thing is not to make sudden movements, everything should be smooth and in a calm rhythm. To begin with, do 10 times, gradually increasing the load. Enjoy this exercise: feel like a graceful and flexible cat, think that very soon your work will be rewarded, and you will get not only a flat stomach, but also toned thighs, healthy back, strong hands and self-confidence.
Video: cat exercise
Hoop
It's time to get out the hoop that you most likely have lying around somewhere at home. And if you don’t have it lying around, it’s inexpensive. There is no need to purchase a heavy or so-called massage hoop - it will knock off your sides and will not affect diastasis. A simple metal one is enough. Play it as much as possible: for example, in front of the TV or chatting with a friend on the phone. But don’t relax: for the exercise to help, you need to twist the hoop, consciously tensing your abs and drawing in your stomach, otherwise you’ll just have fun.
Hyperextension
One of classical exercises V gym, which perfectly strengthens the lower back and buttocks is hyperextension (bending over a goat), however, with diastasis, direct hyperextension is contraindicated, and you will have to choose another exercise for the back. But there is good news, two in fact. Firstly, with diastasis, hyperextension on the floor has proven itself to be excellent, since the stomach does not hang, but rests firmly on the floor. And secondly, to perform it you don’t need to go to the gym or look for a “leg holder”, as with the classic one. Starting position- lying on your stomach, hands behind your head. Raise your shoulders and top part torso as much as you can. If you want to further strengthen your buttocks, complement the exercise by lifting your lower body (legs straight). Alternate: 10 upper body raises, 10 lower body raises, rest. Take your time, do everything slowly.
Hyperextension perfectly strengthens the muscle corset, so you can easily and naturally maintain a royal posture.
Exercises with an expander
Resistance exercises are effective and do not require bulky equipment or special skills. You will need it yourself rubber expander, preferably with handles, but if you already have an elastic band without handles, you don’t need to buy anything extra: make loops at the ends to hold on to. One of effective exercises with an expander, which simultaneously engages the abs, muscles of the upper back and shoulders, as well as the hips. Attach the resistance band to something that will hold it and you firmly (something like a hook in the wall at chest level). Stand straight, feet together, arms extended forward, the ends of the expander in your hands. Pull the expander as close to you as possible with your left hand and at the same time lift left leg, bent at the knee so that the thigh is parallel to the floor. Repeat 12 times and do the same right hand and foot. With a fixed elastic band - on a support or your feet - you can lower your body backwards from a sitting position, overcoming the resistance of the expander - you can hold it with your hands or attach it to the body. However, remember that in this case, the back should be perfectly straight and the shoulders should be turned, so as not to turn the exercise into twisting, which is completely unnecessary for diastasis.
By the way, using an elastic band or elastic band you can complicate and gluteal bridge: Place the band on both legs just above the knees and spread your legs all the way. When lifting your buttocks, hold the elastic band - this way you also use the muscles inner surface hips.
One of the options for securing the elastic band is to fix it on the feet
Video: five minutes of exercises for diastasis
Prohibited exercises
Perhaps all the exercises listed above will not seem particularly difficult to you: they are performed without any problems, the abs hardly hurt, and the stomach tightens slowly. Then there will be a temptation to return to proven heavy abdominal exercises - crunches on the floor and a fitball, and even with weight, raising legs from a lying position, raising arms and legs simultaneously or alternately, lateral crunches etc. Unfortunately, isolated exercises are not effective for diastasis and can even lead to its increase, so the risk here is unjustified. And also you should not do the classic plank and push-ups, exercises with abdominal inflation, scissors and the usual version of the bicycle with raised shoulders. All this increases intra-abdominal pressure and, as a result, increases pressure on the abdominal muscles, which begin to diverge even more.
Myostimulation
What about myostimulation? The idea of strengthening muscles while literally lying on the couch seems very tempting. Let's figure it out. Myostimulation is forced contractions muscle fibers under the influence of electrical impulses. At the same time, the muscles stretch and twist, which contributes to the expansion of the white line. Therefore, myostimulation and cavitation of the abdominal area should be abandoned. But don’t be discouraged - among the salon procedures there are also useful ones, for example, LPG massage (vacuum roller pulsating massage).
Sports for diastasis
This is impossible, this is impossible - so now you have to give up sports? No way, especially if you like it. You will only need to slightly adjust your training to suit your specific needs. For example, Pilates for diastasis is not only allowed, but also indicated! After all, these are all the same static exercises and breathing. It is necessary to avoid twisting, which is contraindicated for diastasis. Also, do not forget that the classic plank and other similar racks will only slow down the path to flat stomach with diastasis.
Yoga is the same statics with breathing, and it will perfectly help with diastasis, as well as strengthen the overall muscle corset, improve posture and well-being. When selecting asanas, remember that you cannot inflate your stomach, twist it, or take poses with your belly hanging down. Avoid nauli (“churning” of the abdomen), asanas that require balancing on your hands, all sorts of backbends without support, intense tossing of the legs, as well as asanas with emphasis or pressure on the white line (that’s what’s broken for you) like mayurasana.
If you have diastasis, you should avoid asanas that focus on the linea alba
Perhaps over time, when the muscles become noticeably stronger, you will be able to return to most asanas - just don’t make them your main ones. If you are an amateur strength training, be careful: lifting weights with diastasis can subsequently lead to a hernia. But this is not a reason to quit the gym. First, most lower body and arm exercises are within your reach, especially with machines. Secondly, use a bandage to secure your abdominal muscles and prevent them from spreading further. You should be careful with free weights: If you're doing something with dumbbells, barbells, or plates, like biceps curls, push against a wall to relieve your abdominal muscles. But better first It’s time not to take free weights at all until the tone returns to the muscles - exercise on blocks and hydraulic simulators. Bodyflex will also have to be modified, since it contains a lot of abdominal exercises with inflating the abdomen: remove this element, as well as poses with the belly hanging down, and train for health.
What about cardio exercises like running or swimming? After all, cardio helps you lose weight faster. Swimming is an ideal sport for almost any muscle problem. Restorative swimming will help burn calories and gently work all the muscles without unnecessary stress or twisting. But be careful with running: jogging, for example, is not allowed. In general, it is better to replace running with intense walking, but if you decide to run, start exercising with good coach and tell him about your problem.
Well, as we found out, diastasis can be dealt with, the main thing is consistency, and you can again put on your favorite swimsuit and show off slim figure. Exercise every day for at least 5 minutes, and you will definitely see results. Remember that muscles are developed individually, and if one person’s tummy tightens in a month, then another will have to work for, say, six months. But this is not scary, because exercise not only improves your figure, but also improves your mood and strengthens your immune system - everything a young mother needs!
Due to numerous requests, I am conducting a system of exercises to correct diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles. This system will be useful to anyone who wants to improve their abs (both women and men). Below we will discuss the following questions:
1. What not to do with diastasis
2. Breathing exercises, formal and informal practice.
3. Work with muscles pelvic floor.
4. Tupler system
Remember that diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles will not disappear on its own, as it is prone to progression. The first thing you should get as early as possible, even immediately after giving birth, is an elastic bandage. Have a good one positive effect in the initial stages of muscle divergence, it is possible to achieve a combination of using a bandage and specially designed physical exercises (the necessary scheme will be selected by a doctor or instructor) aimed at strengthening the girdling muscle corset and gradual contraction of the longitudinal muscles.
1. What not to do
Do not do exercises that increase intra-abdominal pressure. These potentially unsafe exercises include:
- lifting the body, legs, both together from a supine and hanging position; lying power crunches, bicycle, scissors
- poses that create strong pressure on the midline of the abdomen, such as mayurasana, etc.
- power poses that significantly increase intra-abdominal pressure - - power balances on the arms, leg throws, jumping, push-ups, etc.
Poses that strongly stretch or expand the abdominal wall - deflections, variations of bridges, including on a fitball or a deflection bench; deep lateral bends, pull-ups
- inflating the abdomen during breathing, “four-legged” poses - planks (immediately after childbirth)
- almost all abdominal exercises and weight lifting: partial sit-ups from a lying position, straight leg raises from a supine position and similar exercises that do not involve the obliques, but may increase the separation of the rectus muscles
any other exercises that cause this woman’s abdominal wall to “bulge” from tension,
You should also avoid prolonged standing on your hands/elbows and knees/feet, such as when doing push-ups. In this position, the connective tissues become thinner and weaken due to the pressure of the internal organs, carried out under the influence of gravity.
2. Breathing exercises for diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles
There is a relationship between breathing and intra-abdominal pressure. In short, they are as closely related as two wheels on the same axle. Breathing exercises inevitably involves intense exercise, which causes changes in intra-abdominal pressure.
There are three main breathing exercises:
1. Retracting and holding the abdomen while holding the breath (uddiyana bandha).
2. Retraction and vertical rolling while holding the breath (agnisara dhauti)
3. Retraction and horizontal rolling while holding your breath (nauli)
Uddiyana bandha
1. Stand in an upright position with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
2. With your legs slightly bent knee joints, place your hands above your knees on your thighs so that your thumbs are on the inside and the rest are on the outside.
3. With a straight back and open eyes, you need to inhale deeply through your nose, and then quickly and completely exhale through your mouth without excessive effort, lowering your chin to your chest and raising your shoulders.
4. Pull your abdomen in towards the spinal column and slightly upward and hold this position for a few seconds.
5. Before inhaling, you should relax your stomach and stomach, raise your head and straighten up.
6. After doing several deep and conscious cycles, do a few more cycles (from three in total for beginners, gradually increasing the number of repetitions to ten over several months).
Agnisara dhauti
1. Take a deep breath and exhale completely (you can use a tube or nose through your lips), at the same time straightening your elbows and resting your hands on your knees.
2. We begin to alternately quickly tense and relax the stomach, for as long as is comfortable: we try to do 10 (for beginners) -30 ( intermediate level) or more “churning” (press the stomach inward and upward - and relax; inhale passively, due to relaxation of the stomach).
3. When the delay begins to become uncomfortable, slowly raise your head. Having raised our head completely, we inhale slowly, very lightly, without tension: no need to swell. In fact, the air “enters” into the lungs.
4. Observe how normal breathing is restored. We rest for 30-60 seconds, then do 2 more approaches.
Nauli.
Concentrating on the rectus abdominis muscles running along the midline of the abdomen, we tense them. Thus, we form a static “muscle wave” in the middle of the abdomen. Then move the muscle wave dynamically across the abdomen from left to right. Alternate contraction of the abdominal muscles on the left - then on the right. Outwardly it looks like a rolling transverse wave of the abdomen. During one breath-hold, a series of such movements is performed a comfortable number of times. The total number of movements can range from 10-20 (for beginners) and up to 108 or more (for experienced practitioners).
3. Work with the pelvic floor muscles (mula bandhas and Kegel exercises)
A separate block includes techniques for working with the pelvic floor muscles. One of the most important functions of the pelvic diaphragm is to support the pelvic organs from below and prevent their displacement as a result of increased intra-abdominal pressure. In the arsenal of a yoga therapist, there are techniques reminiscent of Western Arnold Kegel exercises - mulabandha and ashwini mudra.
1. Take a comfortable sitting position
2. Place your hands on your knees, and, closing your eyes, completely relax, taking several deep breaths, carefully observing the sensations in your body.
3. When straight spine and a relaxed body, men should squeeze the area located inside the perineum, concentrating their attention there. Women focus on the cervix because the muscles of the cervix and vagina should contract. The contraction should be carried out within a few seconds with completely calm and even breathing. Perform up to twenty cycles.
A type of exercise: contract the muscles of the perineum or cervix and strive to maintain this contraction for as long as possible.
Kegel exercise: Tighten your perineal muscles for 10 seconds and then slowly relax them. First repeat 5 times, and then gradually increase the number of repetitions to 25. Strengthens the pelvic floor muscles
It is important to train the muscles of the pelvic diaphragm separately; this is the only way to restore the connective tissue in the area of diastasis. When performing any physical activity, avoid exercises that weaken the pelvic diaphragm muscles and connective tissue of the core, and do everything strength exercise With correct technique, focused primarily on the work of the pelvic diaphragm muscle. This is easy to do: make sure that the perineum is tense when performing any exercises, squeeze it forcefully.
Connection with breath.
When exhaling, the easiest way is to tense the diaphragm and, accordingly, by pulling its tension, tighten the transverse abdominal muscles adjacent to the diaphragm through the connective tissue. Unfortunately, most studies show that breathing alone does not train the transverse abdominis muscle as effectively as flexing the pelvic diaphragm. This is explained by the fact that the diaphragm muscle is the strongest and it always dominates the work and can even do all the work alone, without involving more weak muscles. Whereas the muscles of the pelvic diaphragm are weak and can only work in tandem with the transverse ones, as if involving them in the work every time. Therefore, the ability to include the muscles of the pelvic diaphragm into work first during power or any movement (this is the most important point!) trains more effectively transverse muscle. This all applies to section 4, exercises.
4. Tupler technique for diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles
An effective licensed exercise system based on training the transverse abdominal muscles was developed by American midwife Julia Tupler. She suggests a technique for repeatedly drawing in the abdominal wall while sitting, lying down, and standing. To control muscle compression, the palms of the hands and often a special long piece of fabric are used.The main Tupler exercise is moving the navel towards the spine without holding your breath. It is most convenient to perform it while sitting on the floor with reliable support behind your back, legs crossed. One palm is placed on solar plexus, the other - under the ribs and as you exhale, they try to move the navel towards the spine and slightly hold it. Do this for 100 movements, counting them out loud (time interval is approximately 2.5 minutes). Perform up to 5 such approaches per day, ending with Kegel exercises (rhythmic compression of the perineal muscles). With a strong degree of diastasis, the abdomen is wrapped in a long piece of cloth (towel), holding its ends in the hands. As you exhale, the towel is pulled over your stomach, helping the muscles contract, and held at the point of maximum compression for a second. The number of repetitions in this case is reduced to ten. Regular exercise tightens the abdominal wall within a few weeks.
5. Exercises with diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles
Informal practices: posture. The most natural way to strengthen the transverse abdominis muscle (and the entire core) is to maintain the natural curves of the spine, bring the shoulder blades together, lift the chest and draw in the lower abdomen, constantly). Avoid intense coughing without supporting the abdominal wall with your hands or a bandage and improper rising from a lying position (!).More informal practices: with diastasis, it is very useful to do abdominal retractions; you can do this simple exercise at any time of the day (while walking, feeding, etc.). Pull your stomach in and hold this position for 30 seconds. The second simple exercise that effectively helps fight diastasis: lying on your back, raise your head and shoulders and hold yourself in this position for 25-30 seconds. Repeat 25 times.
Principles of exercises:
1. Phased strengthening (duration of the stage - 1-2 months). Consistent mastery of exercises in starting positions lying on your back, then on all fours, and then standing.
2. Performing exercises with holding your breath while exhaling (in the beginning) and tension of the pelvic floor muscles (always). When performing exercises, keep your stomach pulled in and breathe chest without the participation of the stomach. It is very important to keep the muscles of the perineum tense: compare the exercise with and without this tension. Did you feel the difference? That's it. Tensioning the perineum is much more effective at engaging and loading our sought-after transverse abdominis muscle!
3. A combination of formal and informal practices. Formal practice: this is exercise, and informal practice is when you do exercises while doing routine tasks (squeezing the perineal muscles + tensing the abdomen + posture).
4. At the first stage – the main focus is on the transverse muscle. The transverse abdominis is a deep abdominal muscle that is often neglected in training. This muscle acts as an athletic belt: it supports and protects the lower back muscles, and also holds internal organs on the spot. She plays more important role in core stability than the rectus abdominis (“abs”) and external obliques, which are trained with abdominal exercises. To engage the transverse muscle and feel this built-in athletic belt, draw your belly button inward toward your spine while pulling your lower back muscles forward toward your abdomen, concentrating on the area below your belly button.
5. At the second stage it is allowed inclusion of oblique muscles, side bends, cat cycle vinyasas, various variations of plank pose, etc.
6. It is important to regularly, for example weekly, conduct self-diagnosis of the position of the rectus abdominis muscles(see above) and monitor its shape (literally) and your sensations during practice.
7. Exercises must be done constantly.
An approximate set of exercises.
1 exercise
Lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms along the body. Slowly lift your pelvis off the floor, starting at your tailbone. The movement is smooth, literally “vertebra by vertebra.” At the same time, pull your tailbone up and the top of your head forward. Don't forget to breathe only through your chest. Stop when your pelvis, knee and shoulder are in line, inhale, and begin to lower your spine to the floor. This exercise perfectly stretches the spine, strengthens the abs and thigh muscles. Repeat 4 times.
Exercise 2
The starting position is the same. As you exhale, bend your right leg at a right angle. As you inhale, raise your arms (palms facing the floor) and make 5 active movements simulating hitting water. As you exhale, make 5 active movements with your palms facing up. Repeat 10 times for each leg.
This exercise warms up the abdominal and arm muscles and strengthens the transverse abdominal muscle.
As you practice, the exercise can be made more difficult by lifting 2 legs at once, bent at a right angle. In the future, you can keep your legs straight by squeezing a small ball between them.
Exercise 3
The starting position is the same. We press the lower back to the floor as much as possible (you can place a low pillow or a folded towel). Raise the right shin (knee bent) up to a right angle. As you exhale, straighten your entire leg, while pulling in your stomach as much as possible. We pull the top of the head up, the pelvis is level. While inhaling, we return to the starting position. We change the leg. Repeat 10 times for each leg. All exercises are performed slowly and smoothly, as if in slow motion filming. Control your breathing and muscle function.
This exercise specifically strengthens the deep transverse abdominal muscle.
To make it more difficult, you can lift both legs at once, but as you exhale, straighten one leg and bring the other leg towards you with your knee to balance the pelvis.
Exercise 4
Starting position on all fours, palms directly under the shoulders. The stomach is tucked, the body is kept straight. Straighten your left leg as you exit until it becomes parallel to the floor. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Don't arch your lower back! The top of the head is pulled forward, the toe of the raised leg is in the opposite direction. Do 10 repetitions for each leg.To complicate the exercise, simultaneously with raising your leg, raise your arm on the opposite side.
Exercise 5
Side plank. Starting position: Lie on your side with your feet together, resting your forearm on the floor so that your elbow is directly under shoulder joint. The other arm is bent, resting on the side or shoulder of the supporting arm.
Execution: Raise your pelvis so that your shoulders, core and legs form a straight line. Fix yourself in this position, tensing your abs and buttocks. Hold at the top of the movement for 20-30 seconds and then repeat on the other side. The side plank exercise must be performed on both the left and right sides.
Exercise 6
Lowering the legs while lying down one by one. Lie on your back, raise your legs straight in front of you. Pressing your lower back tightly to the floor, slowly lower your left leg to the bottom, without touching the floor, 5-7 cm above the floor. Return it to its original position. Do the same with the other leg. While performing the exercise, keep your toes pointed towards you and start the movement from your heel.
Exercise 7
Bridge on one leg. Starting position: Lie on your back. Place your feet on the floor, shoulder-width apart, close to your buttocks. Hands along the body, on the floor, or behind the head.
Execution: Raise your hips as high as possible, while your lower back should always maintain a straight position and not bend. Keep your core and glutes tight. Start first with simple pelvic lifts, gradually increasing the time you hold the body at the top point. Then lift one leg and straighten it at the knee, so that the straightened leg and body form a straight line. The reverse bridge is the most simple exercise for the core muscles, which allows you to learn to feel muscle tension in the central part of the body. During its execution, a burning sensation should appear in the gluteal muscles. If your thigh muscles begin to cramp, you need to rest and stretch. 10 repetitions on each leg.
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