What is tummy gap?
Understanding postnatal diastasis recti (abdominal separation)
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Diastasis Recti refers to the abdominal muscles separating, usually as a result of pregnancy and childbirth.
It's often a cause of some concern for many women during the post-partum period.
Look online and you'll find endless pictures and posts about the dangers of abdominal separation and plenty of inflammatory language causing women to become very fearful of movement - particularly anything that involves flexion.
The reality is that Diastasis can present in many different ways and how it affects one person is different to another. So it's unhelpful to try to put everyone with a Diastasis in one box.
We're now recognising that it's possible to have a 'functional diastasis' which can tolerate load, effort and be challenged. In this scenario, avoiding exercise could actually be detrimental to your recovery.
Even those people who have a dysfunctional Diastasis will need to address it with exercise that challenges them to a level that is right for them. It may be that this begins with simple breathe work, or it might include challenging workouts - but it's a form of rehabilitative exercise that is specifically targeting their dysfunction.
In short, it is essential that women receive the right education and information to allow them to seek appropriate advice, treatment and training. The optimal level of assessment is from a Women's Health Specialist Physio, who will be able to assess your abdominal separation, how this changes and works during movement, how this affects your posture and movement, what effect breathe work makes to your degree of separation and how the connection between your diaphragm, abdominals and pelvic floor muscles behaves.
WHPTs are unique in their ability to assess the pelvic floor function both externally and internally, giving the client so much more information about why the Diastasis is not recovering or not functional. Diastasis can be a contributing factor to symptoms such as back pain, rib pain, abdominal pain, pelvic pain, digestive issues, postural changes or reduced 'core strength.'
If you have concerns regarding Diastasis following pregnancy, or you recognise some of the symptoms mentioned above, seek an assessment with a Women's Health Physio or @mummy_mot practitioner. Understanding your condition and how it affects your body will enable you to train effectively, achieve better results and gain body confidence
