If you are like me and you had no idea that this was something that can happen when you are pregnant, and you have suffered physically and emotionally for years because people are constantly asking you how far along you are or when you are due, then you will enjoy reading this article.
Diastasis Recti is a Real Problem!
What is Diastasis Recti?
Diastasis recti (also known as abdominal muscle separation) is when the left and right sides of the abdominal muscles are separated. This is commonly seen in pregnant and postpartum women, but can also be found in children and other adults. For our purposes, we’re going to discuss diastasis recti in pre and postnatal women.
In a pre-pregnancy body (assuming it’s a healthy, functioning body), the abdominal muscles are usually held closely together by connective tissue (linea alba), which runs down the midline of the body from sternum to pubic bone. In the case of diastasis recti, the linea alba has become stretched and lax so the abdominal muscles are no longer being held tightly together. You can feel this when you do a diastasis recti self-check. The connective tissue along your abdominal wall will feel weak and squishy when you press on it and you’ll be able to measure the distance between the left and right sides of your abdominal muscles.
Diastasis Recti is Not About Your Abs
Say what?
All this talk about abdominal muscle separation, yet diastasis recti doesn’t have much to do with your abdominal muscles at all! Diastasis recti is about the connective tissue, and it’s loss of tension and ability to transfer loads. We use the abdominal muscles as a measuring tool to check the width of the connective tissue. This distance is called the inter-recti distance (IRD).
We used to think that you had to close the gap between the abdominal muscles to heal a diastasis. Today we know that the space between your abdominal muscles is less important than the quality of the connective tissue. We now consider a diastasis recti healed when the connective tissue can generate tension, with or without a space present. Some postpartum women may always have a small space between her abdominal muscles but as long as she has healthy connective tissue it will not affect her health or function (or ability to achieve a flat stomach for that matter!).
Takeaway Notes: it’s not about the size of the space between your abs, it’s about the quality of the connective tissue!
Why Do Women Develop Diastasis Recti?
Read the full article here... Your Diastasis Recti Questions Answered
Diastasis Recti is a Real Problem!
What is Diastasis Recti?
Diastasis recti (also known as abdominal muscle separation) is when the left and right sides of the abdominal muscles are separated. This is commonly seen in pregnant and postpartum women, but can also be found in children and other adults. For our purposes, we’re going to discuss diastasis recti in pre and postnatal women.
In a pre-pregnancy body (assuming it’s a healthy, functioning body), the abdominal muscles are usually held closely together by connective tissue (linea alba), which runs down the midline of the body from sternum to pubic bone. In the case of diastasis recti, the linea alba has become stretched and lax so the abdominal muscles are no longer being held tightly together. You can feel this when you do a diastasis recti self-check. The connective tissue along your abdominal wall will feel weak and squishy when you press on it and you’ll be able to measure the distance between the left and right sides of your abdominal muscles.
Diastasis Recti is Not About Your AbsSay what?
All this talk about abdominal muscle separation, yet diastasis recti doesn’t have much to do with your abdominal muscles at all! Diastasis recti is about the connective tissue, and it’s loss of tension and ability to transfer loads. We use the abdominal muscles as a measuring tool to check the width of the connective tissue. This distance is called the inter-recti distance (IRD).
We used to think that you had to close the gap between the abdominal muscles to heal a diastasis. Today we know that the space between your abdominal muscles is less important than the quality of the connective tissue. We now consider a diastasis recti healed when the connective tissue can generate tension, with or without a space present. Some postpartum women may always have a small space between her abdominal muscles but as long as she has healthy connective tissue it will not affect her health or function (or ability to achieve a flat stomach for that matter!).
Takeaway Notes: it’s not about the size of the space between your abs, it’s about the quality of the connective tissue!
Why Do Women Develop Diastasis Recti?
Read the full article here... Your Diastasis Recti Questions Answered
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