Diastasis Recti Physical Therapy
Do you want to heal diastasis recti naturally?
Do you want safe and enjoyable core exercises for diastasis recti? We are core exercise experts!
You might have heard lots of different opinions and advice about separated abdominals after delivery. If you want guidance on how to return to exercise, how to care for your abdomen, and how to lift your baby with confidence and without leaking or prolapse, then you have come to the right place.
You may have heard of exercises you “shouldn’t” do otherwise you might “damage” your diastasis recti. We can put you at ease and guide safe exercises to improve your abdominal support and your posture.
You can return to exercise with ease, confidence, and strength, in a way that makes you feel empowered, aware, and knowledgable.
What is diastasis recti?
First, picture the linea alba as a band of connective tissue that runs from the sternum to the pubic bone. It is made up of the external and internal oblique muscles and the transverse abdominis muscles.
During pregnancy, the biomechanical stress on the abdominal wall is due to the stress but also the hormonal softening effects of estrogen and relaxin.
Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) is defined as a separation of the two bellies of the rectus abdominis along the midline of linea alba.
Although it is very common, the exact cause of the condition is currently unknown and there is no consensus whether, for example age, delivery mode, and parity are risk factors for DRA (Gluppe S, et al. 2021)
Does pelvic PT help?
A 2021 RCT study showed “an exercise program containing curl-ups for women with DRA did not worsen [it] or change the severity of pelvic floor disorders or low back, pelvic girdle or abdominal pain, but it did increase abdominal muscle strength and thickness.” (Gluppe S, et al. 2021)
A 2022 RCT study (Kim et al.) showed that “exercise interventions delivered in a real-time videoconferencing platform are effective at improving the inter-recti distance, trunk stability, and quality of life in postpartum women and may be an alternate to face-to-face intervention.” We offer Telehealth!
The results from a 2023 “suggested that myofascial therapy could effectively reduce rectus abdominis separation, relieve pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, enhance lumbar function, relieve pain, and improve the ability of daily living activities.” (Wang et al. 2023)
How long does treatment take?
We recommend starting with at least 1-3 pelvic PT sessions, within a 4 week period, to accurately understand your goals, to determine prognosis, and collaborate on a plan of care.
These visits can be in person, or online. However, if you would like internal pelvic floor therapy, that service is in person. (Though we can try to guide you for a self assessment virtually).
It takes 2-3 months to gain endurance and strength. We offer therapeutic exercise only sessions at a reduced fee if you want guidance on your exercise progressions, and to ascertain long term results.
With a combination of manual therapy and exercise progressions, expect a significant change in symptoms and improved core strength and ability to function, after 6 weeks of working with us.
Our three core approaches for diastasis recti physical therapy:
Breathing Assessment: We guide an in-depth breathing diagnosis which includes specific aspects of posture and an assessment of your respiratory diaphragm’s activation and mobility in different functional movement contexts.
Fascial Assessment: We offer manual therapy that includes myofascial mobilization and visceral fascial mobilization. Skilled therapeutic touch can be an effective way to release tension, improve body awareness, and guide total body integration.
Manual therapy is followed up with therapeutic exercise cues and functional movement training for positive neuroplasticity. We skillfully tend to and care for the tightness in your neck, back, hips, and abdomen, and help to hold your awareness about your tension habits.
With skilled touch, we guide you to easeful and joyful movement patterns and options that you may not have been conscious of before. You might surprise yourself!
Focus on Intra-abdominal Pressure Management Exercises: Diastasis recti is often an issue of faulty pressure management patterns in the abdominal wall. It is more complex than “weakness.” We use posture analysis, postural muscle strengthening exercises, and dynamic stabilization and total body integration training to support your ease and joy of returning to any exercise!