While diastasis recti is often associated with pregnancy, it can affect men as well. This condition causes a visible gap between abdominal muscles and can result in back pain, pelvic pressure or hernias.
Functional core weakness often results from ineffective postures, compensation patterns and muscle imbalances that lead to excessive forward forceful pressure on the linea alba (the abdominal wall). These easy rehabilitation workouts help reduce abdominal separation while strengthening core.
Sit-Ups: Diastasis Recti Repair Exercise
Men living with diastasis recti can struggle with core weakness that causes back pain, pelvic discomfort and urinary incontinence. Even in severe cases, however, simple exercises exist that can help bridge abdominal separation and strengthen core. Diastasis recti repair exercises focus on strengthening core and activating cross-body muscle fibers of internal and external obliques to speed up recovery while also decreasing risks for recurrence. When combined with proper core breathing practices these exercises can speed recovery while lowering risk.
Performng a series of sit-ups can help bridge the gap between rectus abdominis muscles. Sit-ups also increase flexibility of obliques that have tightened due to strain during traditional crunches. Finally, sit-ups engage other core muscles that support spine and pelvis stability such as transverse abdominis and multifidus muscles that play key roles. Done correctly, these sit-ups may even stimulate hypertrophy that results in stronger core muscles.
Heel slides are an accessible bodyweight exercise designed to strengthen and improve core breathing mechanics. To maximize results, it’s essential that heel slides be conducted slowly and controlled, rather than lifting using hip flexors or lower back muscles, which could create diastasis diastasis diastasis diastasis or make existing diastasis worse. By slowing the pace of this movement, your core will remain engaged throughout and prevent creating or exacerbating abdominal muscle separation.
To perform a heel slide, lie on your back with bent knees and flat feet on the floor. Inhale to expand ribs and belly while relaxing the pelvic floor, and exhale to activate core breath belly pump and squeeze deep pelvic muscles towards spine as tightly as you can for 5-10 seconds before allowing stomach to expand out again and repeat process.
Heel slides can be performed as part of a full workout regimen or used alone as diastasis recti repair exercise. They can also help strengthen core muscles that support and protect the body against further injuries, improving posture in daily life.
2. Planks
Diastasis recti is often manifested by an indentation along the center of your abdominal wall. Sometimes this bulge can be felt while performing core exercises or coughing/straining, while in other instances it may only become noticeable when lying flat on your back and pressing with fingers along its center. Diastasis recti results from a gap or tear between your two ab muscles which was likely created during pregnancy; to protect this thin strip of muscle running vertically down the middle, pregnant women are advised not to engage in certain core exercises during and postpartum; instead they should follow advice regarding certain core exercises during and postpartum in order to protect their linea alba (thin strip that runs vertically down center of abdominal wall).
Exercise has proven itself an effective means of treating abdominal separation. Although traditional sit ups and crunches should be avoided since they can exacerbate intraabdominal pressure by increasing intra-abdominal pressure or flexing trunk, abdominal bracing exercises such as planks can provide a safe method for strengthening core without worsening abdominal separation.
Beginning by getting into a pushup position, but instead of weightbearing through your hands, place both forearms on the ground with elbows directly under your shoulders and make sure that your body forms an upright line from head to heels, keeping your belly button drawn toward your spine for 15-30 seconds before increasing holding time gradually.
Diastasis recti exercises such as Marchs are another great way to address diastasis recti. Simply lie on the floor with your knees bent at 90 degrees, feet flat on the floor with toes pointed in front, arms by your sides, and lift one leg off to 90 degrees and slowly lower it back down again before increasing load and moving both legs simultaneously for added difficulty. Once strong enough, try increasing load or moving both legs simultaneously for additional challenge!
As a movement teacher who has worked with bodies for nearly 19 years, I have witnessed women with an eight-finger wide gap close it down using targeted exercises. Furthermore, it’s a myth that your abdominal gap must close completely for your core to function effectively.
3. Leg Raises
diastasis recti occurs when abdominal muscles pull and support the core, but when they separate they leave an indent which creates a gap that must be filled by regular workouts in order to strengthen core muscles and close any diastasis recti gaps that have developed. Although diastasis recti can be very uncomfortable and requires daily sessions in order to heal it quickly and permanently.
A gap in the rectus abdominus muscle can be found above or below the belly button, but can appear anywhere between sternum and pubic bone. While not always visible, experienced practitioners can feel its existence using palpation; typically this gap measures one finger width or wider; it may even spread across all front of abdominal muscle layers in some instances.
Diastasis Recti, also known as diastasisrecti, may result from pregnancy, childbirth or abdominal trauma like an injury; or it could simply be the result of weak internal core, poor posture and muscle imbalances – in either instance it can be repaired with targeted exercises designed to address its size.
Heel slides are an effective bodyweight exercise to develop core strength and stability without forcing abdominal muscles to contract, making this movement especially suitable for postpartum women as it strengthens deep transverse abdominus muscles which support pelvis and spine stability, strengthening pelvis support muscle connections as well as other supporting musculature that connect them all together. Heel slides can even provide an effective and safe workout option for those living with diastasis recti, provided you do not push too hard.
To perform the heel slide, lie on a yoga mat or towel on a bare floor (no rug) with your socked feet flat on the ground and your knees bent to 90 degrees. Slowly raise one leg up parallel with another until they both reach 90 degrees; once there, tap your heel lightly against the floor before lifting back up using only your core and repeat this motion 10 times.
This exercise can also serve as an excellent opportunity to practice proper breathing technique. Be sure to inhale deeply, filling both ribs and belly while relaxing pelvic floor and lower back (lumbar spine). Doing this will prevent overexertion of abdominal muscles that could potentially cause pain and further abdominal separation.
4. Abdominal Crunches
These core exercises for men with diastasis recti can help heal the gap between your rectus abdominis muscles without exacerbating abdominal separation. When combined with other exercises that reduce separation (see below), they can strengthen your core and heal diastasis recti gaps larger than five centimeters. If this condition affects you, please seek professional advice from a physical therapist experienced with treating this condition.
Contrary to other crunches, this version of core exercise doesn’t isolate one side of the stomach or engage hip flexors – instead it engages both abs and draws belly button closer towards spine as legs move back and forth. Additionally, this exercise presents an excellent challenge for those with advanced diastasis recti because it requires them to go through full range of motion.
Begin on the floor with your back straight and feet firmly resting on it, feet touching only. Lying down on your right side, lower both legs in tandem towards the floor until they touch; gently tap heels on floor as you lift back up using core strength; repeat on opposite side.
Correct execution of this exercise for men can be an incredibly effective diastasis recti repair exercise that retrains their core to move together as one unit and avoids “muscling” it with hip flexors or lower back muscles that could otherwise make matters worse.
Diagnosing diastasis recti and treating it correctly are essential elements of good overall health. Working with a physical therapist who specializes in women’s health or pelvic floor rehabilitation to create a personalized plan to address your condition can be invaluable, while performing draw in maneuver exercises can reduce abdominal separation while strengthening rectus abdominis muscles; especially useful if there’s a large gap in between.
