Avoiding Diastasis Recti
Tips on How to Avoid Diastasis Recti
Written and shared by our movement expert Nada Besir 💛
Diastasis Recti or Abdominal Separation:
A musculoskeletal injury, where the rectus abdominus tears at the connective tissue, separating it from the linea alba - a collagen cord that runs from the bottom of your sternum to the front of your pelvis.
Diastais Recti, is one of the outcomes to daily poor postural positioning which is commonly associated with pregnancy but not limited to. Many children suffer from this, along with women and men who have NOT had babies. Pregnancy and large babies are not the main cause of this condition rather it is carrying high pressure in the abdomen which cannot be cured with exercises in isolation if your daily postural habits stay the same.
Re-establishing the pressure gradients in the abdominal cavity is paramount along with establishing your whole body alignment and being aware of the positions you most frequent throughout your day.
So..... going back to my number 1 alignment tip: back your hips up over your heels to immediately reduce pressure in your Abs!
Note above in the picture on the right how my pelvis is shifted forwards over my toes, making my belly protrude more, whilst looking bigger with a more pronounced lumbar curve or lordosis. If this is a position you frequent daily especially in pregnancy you will increase the load to the abdominal wall and potentially the separation. That increased abdominal pressure also translates to the lumbar vertebrae and increased tension in the lower back - ouch!
What might not be so obvious in that right photo is my pulled up quadriceps stopping me from falling over, my tucked pelvis, pressure on my pubic symphysis (joint at pubic bone) and my forward thrusting head!
Try and be more like the picture on the left...
Love,
Red & Nada
