Yoga for Diastasis Recti.

Did you know up to 60% of women suffer with Diastasis Recti during pregnancy/post partum?

Did you know Diastasis Recti is not limited to pregnant women and can occur in babies and men?

In this article we're going to look at what Diastasis Recti is in pregnant women and what we can do to help aid our recovery.

This article is in no way intended as medical advice, treatment or diagnosis. If you are concerned you may have Diastasis Recti (DR) seek medical advice from your doctor. If you have been diagnosed with DR, seek advice and approval before engaging in any physical exercise. The absolute last thing you want to do is put undue stress or strain on the muscles and make the problem worse. 

What is Diastasis Recti?

In very simple terms, Diastasis Recti occurs when the abdominal wall begins to separate due to the growing baby bump. Specifically, the linea alba (the fibrous tissue that runs down the middle of the abdomen) splits. This separation is really common for pregnant women as the baby grows, however there are varying degrees of severeness. Some women will find the tissue knits itself back fairly easily after birth. Whereas others will experience a more severe separation causing a weakening of the core and potential discomfort.

Exercises/Postures to Avoid 

Essentially, you should be avoiding anything that could make the separation worse. Look for excessive doming or coning of the abdominal muscles, if you can see this, stop!

Take care getting out of bed, or getting up from lying down on your mat. Always roll to the side first (preferably the right side, but roll left, if you are currently pregnant or have blood pressure issues). 

Avoid anything that resembles a crunch/sit-up, keep the shoulders and head on the mat at all times. 

Avoid the traditional plank posture and push ups, this is too much pressure on the Linea Alba.

Whilst you should avoid the above while recovering from DR, it is not to say you will never plank again (in case you really enjoy a good plank!). You are simply allowing the muscles to repair themselves gently and fully before putting too much pressure on them.

This isn't an exhaustive list, please seek professional medical advice if you are unsure about anything in your usual exercise regime. 

What can I do?

Once you have approval from your doctor, the good news is there are numerous yoga poses out there that you can do to help your body repair. Below, I've listed a couple for you to give a go at home, and if you'd like to go a little further follow this link to a short recording taking you through a variety of yoga poses for diastasis recti. 

As with any exercise or yoga practice, listen to your body, if you are experiencing any pain, STOP! You should feel challenged, but not pain. It may be that that particularly move is too advanced for you at this stage and you're able to retry in time after you have built up some strength. Or it may be that that pose is simply not going to work for you, this is totally fine! Work with your body, not against it and you will see and feel the benefits.

1. Core Contractions

These can be done either seated or lying down, depending which you find most comfortable. These are veyr sublte movements and is a great way to begin to activate the deep core muscles.

• Begin either lying down, seated on your mat or in a chair for support

• Rest the hands on the belly, take a deep inhale and exhale slowly

• Start to draw the belly button towards the spine, keep breathing

• Gently release as needed and take a few breaths

• Repeat as many times as feels comfortable

2. Lying Toe Taps

Once you can complete a good few rounds of number 1, you can start adding these Toe Taps. Be sure to keep the shoulders and head on the mat during this.

• Lie down on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the mat

• Place hands gently on top of the hips

• Inhale, bring your right knee towards the chest and tap your right toes to your left knee. Check in with your hips as you do so, you want to keep them pressed down on the mat

• Pause here, take a few breaths, consciously pull belly button to spine activating the core

• Exhale release the right foot down to the mat

• Repeat on the other side

• You can repeat this as many times as feels comfortable, 3-5 times would be a good number to be aiming for.

3. Alternate Leg Raises

Building on the above, if you feel comfortable to do so, this will activate the deeper abdominal muscles, only attempt this if you feel ready to do so and the you complete a set of Toe Taps comfortably.

• Lying down on your back, legs straight

• Palms face down to the mat, thumbs can gently tuck under the hips

• Begin by pulling the belly button toward the spine, and push the lower back into the mat

• Inhaling, gently start to lift the right leg up off the mat a few inches, do not let the lower back lift, if your lower back lifts, slowly bring your leg back down

• Exhale, lower the leg with control

• Repeat on the other side, inhaling to lift, exhale to lower

• Repeat as many times as feels comfortable, moving slowly with the breath and control.

Want to go futher, follow this link to a short recording that you can follow along with, focussing on different yoga poses all designed to help with the recovering from diastasis recti.