Did You Know About Diastasis Recti?

Photo credit : http://www.healthyliving.plus/

Hey guys, how are we all doing? I hope your energy is still very high and you're channeling it into the right things, people and places.

Today, we'll be talking about a health issue I recently learned about. I'm still wowed at the fact that I'm just learning about it. I mean, this is something I feel I should have known especially as it affects pregnant women a lot. Pregnant women/pregnancy is "my thing". At some point in my life, I wanted to be a gynecologist, that didn't work out, thankfully, but still, I like to know all I can about it and I keep learning from the blessed ones around me. To think that no doctor has mentioned this to any of my close mothers, (and please note that I have a lot of babies so many mothers, new and old and relatively old) is quite disappointing. Let's not dwell on that too much, let's go straight into the education for the day, shall we? Let's learn about DIASTASIS RECTI.

Description : Diastasis means separation and Recti refers to the ab muscles. Diastasis recti simply means abdominal separation. This is when the space between your left and right outer abdominal muscle is widened. This condition is common in pregnant women/new mothers, as sometimes the stomach muscles expand beyond the elasticity limit of the abdominal muscles, causing a form of tear to occur in the center, thereby widening the space between the right and left ab muscles.

Pregnant women most likely to suffer this are usually those having twins, triplets and more, though it still does occur with single child pregnancies especially those who have  more than one child with a close age gap due to close and repeated expansion of the ab muscles . Excessive abdominal exercises after the first trimester could also increase the chances of being affected by this condition.

Women over the age of 35 years are more prone to be affected. Genetics also play a role in one's chances of being affected by this. 

Diastasis recti is said to occur in about 30% of pregnancies. Some new mother's mid-line close up to less than 2 finger width, but in many, the space remains widely separated which can cause problems.

This condition also occurs in new born babies but it usually disappears within their first year. In new born babies, the abdominal muscles are not fully developed and may not be sealed together at mid-line. It occurs more in premature babies and black new born babies, but usually develops normally within one year.

It also affects men usually due to bad/wrong exercises/exercising such as doing sit ups wrongly - yes, there are wrong ways of exercising,. Weight cycling also leaves one prone to this condition. 

Please note that anyone with excess fat stored around the belly area could be at risk of being affected by this. You see why I keep telling you to get rid of that belly fat. There are so many health risks attached to so much visceral fat. 

Dangers:

The abdominal muscles are there to support your back and keep your organs safe inside. They act as a form of protective lining for your organs, therefore, a wide spacing of these muscles could cause an exposure of organs which naturally should not be exposed. Without the muscles, the uterus, bowels and other organs do not have enough support to stay where they should be and this could make vaginal delivery even more difficult than it already is.

It could cause the following problems:

• Hernia
• Constipation
• Urine leakage
• Breathing difficulty
• Lower back pain

It could get that serious! Again, why aren't we more educated about this?

How to Check for Diastasis Recti:

Due to the very low awareness of this condition, many many people live with this for years without knowing. This is dangerous because they could be unknowingly doing exercises that could worsen the condition. 

Follow the following simple steps to test for Diastasis Recti -

STEP 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor 

STEP 2: Place one hand behind your head, and the other hand on your abdomen, with your fingertips across your mid-line at the level of your belly button.

STEP 3: With your abdominal wall relaxed, gently press your fingertips into your abdomen

STEP 4: Lift your head and neck off the floor  into a crunch position

STEP 5; Move your fingertips across your mid-line, check for a gap below and above your belly button

You are looking for a 1 or 2 finger width gap, that is 1-2 fingers sinking in your mid line, but do note that it could be more. If you feel a gap, that's the diastasis. 

Check here for visual explanation. 

Treatment:

Surgery and specific exercises are said to be able to correct this condition. However, from my research, there are quite a few contradictions on the right exercises to help, therefore I won't be sharing any. I'd say once you check and you confirm that you have this, please reach out to your doctor or better still a physiotherapist. 

Please carry out the test and watch the kinds of exercises you do.

I hope we've learned a thing or two and I hope to learn more in the comment section. Please tell your doctor friends to educate us more on things like this. Let's be more health conscious and live a long, healthy and happy life. 

Lots of love, now and always...