Diastasis Recti is NOT the Cause of Your Belly Pooch

May 28

Written By Fit MOM

Does this surprise you?

There is so much focus on diastasis recti, or ab separation – and with good reason. It’s a condition that you can actually feel and see. Often times people think that doing tons of ab exercises is the best way to get rid of the doming they see when they sit up. Well, no. In fact, doing so will probably make your DR worse!

See, you need to address the root cause.

But wait. What about back or hip pain? What about leaking or painful sex? These issues don’t seem related or connected to diastasis.

The thing is… they often are! And even if someone does not have a diagnosed DR, the same strategy for healing DR can often times FIX all these other issues too! What’s the strategy?

It’s all about internal pressure management while breathing and how well one can stabilize their core, specifically, their transverse abdominals.

Yes, it’s about breathing and core control! The way we breathe and manage the pressure of our breath using our diaphragm and core makes all the difference when we move and especially when we add load.

This takes lots of practice and being intentional with our workouts and movements. It also might mean a lot of patience too. Doing the HIIT workouts and heavy weight supersets is exciting, sweaty, fun, and makes you feel like a badass.

BUT if you don’t know how to properly internalize the pressure in your abdominal cavity when you breathe, guess what? That DR isn’t going away. Neither are any of the symptoms often associated with it. Plus, DR is often associated with weak glutes, hips, and pelvic floor…so doing crazy workouts also puts yourself at risk for injury – if not now, but maybe down the road.

Bottom line? Connect with a pelvic floor physical therapist or specialized fitness professionals (like us!) who can help guide you toward proper breath work while learning how to internalize your pressure, stabilize your core, strengthen your hips, and assess your pelvic floor.