Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Diastasis recti

I have a condition called Diastasis recti. What is it you ask?


Diastasis recti is a separation between the left and right side of the rectus abdominis muscle, which covers the front surface of the belly area.

Here is a video of Lindsay Brin explaing and showing what it is.


I can fit 3 (squished) fingers in mine. My fingers fit in between my ab muscles.

You know what's weird about this? Sometimes when I am lying down I can see my intestines move. It almost feels like I have a baby in there still.
Gross I know, thus is my life.



So I have a bulge because my muscles aren't there; the skin has no where to go but out.

Well I measured and nothing has changed, BUT I fit into my snap jeans again. How nothing has changed? I don't know. My hips still measure 38" and my waistline 31".

My goal is to keep working out regularly while on vacation. I always say I am going to, but never do. I will this time!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think i have that too! I fit 2 fingers in mine after Cardon. We'll see with Lindin!

Taylor said...

Ok so you don't know me but I am one of Traci's friends. I totally thought I had some weird freak thing going on with my belly but I have exactly what you have explained. So is their a cure??? I sent you an invite to my blog.

Tiffany said...

i always get this when i'm prego and afterwards... and can easily fit 3-4 fingers in between. it goes away with exercises and time... at least for most people it does. and your insides can't fit in between that hole and poke out... promise. :)

Darren and Traci said...

I had this a little after Emmie and Allison, I never checked or noticed after Eliza. When I would do a sit up my muscles would separate and then whatever was under my muscles would come up in a weird cone shape, if that makes sense. I would be able to fit a couple fingers in there as well. I didn't do anything after Emmie and it just went away in time. After Allison I ran a bit and then right before I got pregnant with Eliza I had started going to the gym but I don't know if it went away on it's own or if that little bit of work helped. I have a friend who just had her stomach muscles sewn back together since hers was so bad after 6 kids (like 4 inches apart). She said it was so painful but she feels like a million bucks now.

I tried that boot camp DVD the other day and it was good. I'm used to more fast paced, sweat your butt off, workouts but it was still good and my muscles are sore so I know it worked me.

Where are you guys going for the holidays?

tiff snedaker said...

Yep, I have it too. In fact, I can still fit 2 fingers in between and Rowan is almost 2. I've heard that you can get rid of them with exercise, but I've never fully been able to get rid of mine. I've heard of them being so bad that women have to have surgery. Part of life I guess. Good luck with your exercising over the holidays!

BeFit-Mom said...

A 2.5 to almost 3 finger-width separation is small. The goal of diastasis rehab is to close the gap to less than 2 finger-widths.

The shape of your abdominal wall tells me two things. First, is that you still have postpartum laxity, meaning your abdominal muscles are too long and weak. And secondly, you haven't been training your deepest abdominal muscle, your Transverse Abdominis.

To close abdominal separation, you need to first strengthen this muscle, a LOT, then train it to function properly as a stabilizer. This is done with specialized postpartum exercises.

Women with abdominal separation should not do ANY abdominal exercises that lift/roll/flex the upper body off the floor against the force of gravity. No crunches, oblique pulses, roll backs or roll ups, most Pilates mat work, and yoga asanas like "boat pose.'

More information on diastasis recti (abdominal separation) can be found at http://befitmom.com/abdominal_separation.html

Tupler Technique said...

Diastasis Recti is a common condition for most moms. If not closed after the first pregnancy it gets larger with each subsequent pregnancy. The treatment, however, is a mystery to most medical and fitness professionals. The Tupler Technique is the only research based (Columbia University Department of Physical Therapy) program proven to make a diastasis smaller. For more infomation on Diastasis Recti and how to close this separation please view the 30 minute TV broadcast on my website on the About Diastasis page. The website is www. DiastasisRehab.com
Julie Tupler, RN

Tiffany said...

bet you never thought you'd get such a variety of comments when you did this post. haha.

S. Fantasia said...

It'll go away if you keep working on your abs. I had that after Ava and was so stressed about it and my lack of ab strength all together. I finally went back to my OB to figure out if I has some sort of postpartum damage and he said my ab muscles were just having a hard time re connecting to my abdominal walls and that I had also the diastasis recti. He gave me a brochure on it and I worried for a long while and then decided that I couldn't to much about it but continue to work out. And it's better now and my bod is back in shape. You are a skinny mini and a fitness buff, to boot, so I know you can heal the prob with your usual persistence!! Besides, I always think you look great! :o)

Darren and Traci said...

k I did the Lindsay Brin dvd again and I was like, this is good but it's not as hardcore as I'd like, but I checked out the other levels and I'm excited for my workout tomorrow since the higher levels look like what I'm looking for. Which one of her dvds do you have and like the most?

Unknown said...

I suffer from the same condition after my second pregnancy/csection. It has really affected my self esteem and have been looking for something that will help me fix it. I have researched Tupler Technique and plan on giving it a shot! It is my last option before surgery so I hope it helps!! I am at my wits end...I will be blogging about my experience so if you are interested, please follow along. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Carrie said...

I know this blog post was 3 years ago but just in case someone comes across it now, I want to comment that ab workouts/crunches are the absolute WORST thing you can do for a diastasis recti condition! It actually makes the separation worse, which is why you don't see results. Go buy the Tupler DVD & splint and commit to the program, you will see results within the first week. For real. It's amazing and so very satisfying! I'm on week 12 and my 4 finger diastasis is just about fully closed. I lost 3" off my waist by the third week and my belly button returned to normal within 5 days of starting. Do it, you won't regret it. :)

Mom of 5 kids said...

I have this too, but my dr said mine is too far apart that my only option is surgery. Working out actually makes it worse if it is a bad case. So if it hurts to work out be careful and talk to a dr!!

Anonymous said...

I had this too after 2 kids. I also had a hernia so I had surgery to repair both and a tummy tuck and I have a whole new world of confidence again. Just so you know, no amount of exercise will bring that muscle back together again. Discouraging!!! Good Luck.

Unknown said...

I must have this! When I lie down I can see and feel my intestines move too and it feels like I have a baby in there too! But it seem to be larger than a month after I gave birth so I don't know if it even goes away on it's own. I thought getting core strength would work but it seem to have gotten bigger ever since I started working out and I don't think it's bigger muscle. It's just saggy.