DIASTASIS RECTUS ABDOMINIS: Start Here (Part 1)
You're already busy looking after your little ones and so what you need is a clear, straight-forward plan on what to do about your diastasis rectus abdominis (DRA). This 4-Part "Start Here" series was created with the intention of providing you with a comprehensive, yet condensed, step-by-step plan towards rebuilding your core if you have DRA.
The fact of the matter is, DRA is now a hot topic in the post-partum fitness and rehab world, and even though there is an abundance of DRA-specific information now available at your fingertips, it can be extremely overwhelming to go through. With all the different techniques, exercises, it's hard to make sense of it all, and simply trying a few exercises without knowing where that exercise fits into the overall picture, is what leads to a standstill in your progress.
Yes, doing exercises for your core is important, but you also need to know when to do them and in which order. If you sprained you're ankle, odds are you wouldn't start the rehab process with plyometric jumping exercises. Similarly, if you've already worked through the early-level rehab exercises, you wouldn't spend more time doing the same beginner-level exercises, you would progress on and begin to challenge yourself.
Rebuilding your postpartum core is no different, even if you have DRA. The key to making gains in your core is knowing which exercises to do and when. If you also know the "why" behind it all, it gives you a clear vision of the overall plan, and this is a huge bonus!
The aim of this 4-Part "Start Here" Series is to:
Help you sort out the difference between what diastasis is and what it isn’t
Help you understand which muscles are affected in diastasis
Highlight a common diastasis myth that has prevented too many people from getting better
Help you get “un-stuck” if you want to do more with your but are paralyzed by fear
Help you figure out the next steps to regain the strength and confidence back in your core
Without further ado, let’s get started!
Diastasis Rectus Abdominis
Diastasis rectus abdominis is a term used to describe a phenomenon that usually happens in pregnancy where the connective tissue strip down the middle of the abdomen (the linea alba) widens and thins to accommodate the growing baby. This is a natural physiological process that occurs in 100% of pregnant women.
However, if you look beyond the linea alba, you will see that the entire abdominal wall is also getting stretched out in pregnancy, including the rectus abdominis muscle which contours around the expanding uterus. Taking this wider view lets us appreciate how stretching of the abdominal wall and linea alba is normal in pregnancy and prompts us to work on the muscles and tissues around the linea alba, not just the linea alba itself.