Abdominal diastasis: what it is, symptoms and how to correct it

The pressure exerted on the abdomen by pregnancy can cause the abdominal muscles separategiving rise to what is known as diastasis. It is estimated that it happens in a 66% of women in the third trimester of pregnancy and that close to a 40% of them continue with diastasis 6 months after delivery.

But women who are or have been pregnant are not the only ones who can experience this separation of the abdominal muscles which, in addition to a stomach bulge, can cause pain and discomfort in other parts of the body. We explain why and when it happens and what to do (or avoid) to correct it.

What is abdominal diastasis?

The abdominal diastasis is the excessive separation of the rectus abdominis muscleswhich form the two central vertical rows of the so-called “tablet”.

The rectus abdominis runs from the lower border of the ribcage to the pubis and join in the linea alba, which is made up of a network of connective tissue. They help us to stand tallto flex the trunk forward, to keep the viscera in place and they also participate in respiration, among other functions.

When there is a stretching or tearing of connective tissue that joins the rectus abdominis is when abdominal diastasis occurs and, consequently, the abdomen loses its rigidity.

Abdominal diastasis is usually considered to be present when the separation of the rectus muscles is greater than 2 centimeters. Some experts measure different distances along the linea alba (above and below the navel), since the distance between the recti is usually greater in the area above the navel, even in people without diastasis.

In this video you can see a graphic description of how abdominal diastasis occurs:

Causes of abdominal diastasis

Diastasis recti is associated with situations in which there is a increased abdominal pressure or with diseases that cause weak connective tissues.

The most common is that it appears During pregnancy (especially in the multiple pregnancies or of very big babies) or at the time of childbirth, when this involves pushing for a long period. Other causes include:

Have overweight or obese.A trauma to the abdomen.After a abdominal surgery.repeated movements that affect the abdominal area. chronic constipation.The chronic cough.

Abdominal diastasis: symptoms

Often people with abdominal diastasis notice a bulge in the center of the abdomen while at rest, which worsens with increased abdominal pressure. In some cases, in the central part of the abdomen you can see lumps that are part of the intestine that come out, such as hernias.

Additionally, there may be:

Abdominal diastasis: exercises

Diastasis rectus abdominis can resolve spontaneouslybut often it is not. However, you can improve a lot by doing Changes in lifestyle (mainly, losing weight), specific exercises and, in cases where this doesn’t work, surgery.

There are several exercise programs aimed at both the prevention of diastasis during pregnancy and the improvement of symptoms in people who already have it. They usually start with smooth movements that engage the core and they progress depending on the evolution to more intense exercises. The ideal is to perform them in the hands of a specialized physiotherapist, since not all exercises are good and some could aggravate diastasis.

It has been seen that they work best when diastasis has recently appeared, so it is important to start performing them as soon as possible.

These diastasis-oriented exercises can be combined with others of pelvic floor strengthening for the prevention or treatment of urinary incontinence.

What to avoid if you have abdominal diastasis

Certain movements can make abdominal separation worse. It is advisable to avoid:

lifting heavy objects.Sitting up suddenly when you’re lying down. You must turn your body to one side and, from that position, lift your trunk helping you with your arms. Activities and movements that push abs out (like classic abs).