There are sporadic studies reporting self-correction of diastasis recti within a year after delivery. Despite the insufficient evidence base, we do not recommend surgical correction of diastasis recti during the first year, preferring physical exercises. And only in the absence of sufficient aesthetic effect – we plan surgery.
It should be noted that physical training can visually improve the shape of the abdomen, make it flatter, but to reduce the width of the white line with its help is impossible – connective tissue, unlike muscle tissue, is not capable of hypertrophy, it can not be “pumped”.
What exercises can not be done with diastasis? Again, there are no qualitative studies on this issue today. Do not recommend the “classical” exercises that strengthen the abdominal muscles: twisting, leg or body lifts, “bicycle”, etc., as they can even contribute to an increase in diastasis.
How to treat diastasis?
The main muscle to be strengthened for diastasis is the transverse abdominal muscle (transversus abdominis). It is the deepest lying muscle of the anterior abdominal wall and its function is to keep the abdomen flat. The main exercises that engage this muscle are:
Abdominal retraction
Lying on your back with your legs half-bent, maximally retract the lower half of your abdomen. Hold this position for 10 seconds at first, gradually increasing the time to 30 seconds. 10 repetitions 3 times a day.
Abdominal Pulsation
Quickly alternate between retracting and relaxing the abdomen. 5 times a day for 100 pulsations.
“Cat”
In the “on all fours” position, on an exhale, arch your back upward, rounding it like a cat while tensing and pressing your belly against your back. Keeping the muscles tense, inhale and slightly arch your back in the opposite direction. 10-15 repetitions 3 times a day.
Also with diastasis of rectus muscles recommended Kegel exercise that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles and a number of others. We repeat that their regular performance is quite capable of improving the shape of the abdomen, but, unfortunately, to eliminate diastasis, and even more so – often associated with him hernia of the anterior abdominal wall, exercises are not able to.
Wearing bandages during and after pregnancy, according to some data, reduces the risk of diastasis and reduces the intensity of pain. However, there are also no quality studies on this aspect to date.
Surgical treatment of diastasis recti
The only method that really eliminates diastasis and its accompanying negative aspects is surgical. Of course, we do not recommend surgery for all patients with rectus diastasis.
Diastasis is not a hernia, there is no defect in the anterior abdominal wall, in which internal organs can be pinched, respectively, diastasis of rectus muscles does not threaten the life and health of the patient.
Operations to suture diastasis
All types of operations for suturing, or rather plasty of the anterior abdominal wall in diastasis can be divided into two types – open and minimally invasive (laparoscopic and endoscopic).
Open surgery in most cases is a complete reconstruction of the anterior abdominal wall together with abdominoplasty. This allows not only to eliminate diastasis and associated hernias, but also to remove excess skin, and if you supplement the operation with liposuction – to get an almost perfect shape of the abdomen, to correct the “overhanging” of the skin over the scar after cesarean section. Elimination of diastasis in this approach is the most reliable, as it gives ample opportunity to choose the optimal method of its correction.
After surgery is mandatory to wear special compression underwear for a month.
Thus, diastasis is quite a serious problem, which can be optimally solved only with an individual approach to planning its correction.
