Diastasis recti, or abdominal separation is extremely common after pregnancy. In fact, studies show that 100% of women have some degree of diastasis recti at the end of pregnancy. (1)

The stretching of the abdominal wall, in order to accommodate the growing baby, results in thinning of the abdominal muscles and subsequent fascia such as the linea alba. These changes are normal and necessary as the fetus grows. 

What exactly is abdominal separation?

Diastasis recti is a separation of the abdominal muscles at an area called the linea alba. Every person has a linea alba which is essentially a tendon that joins the two sides of the abdominal wall. 

The linea alba has a natural width and there is some degree of separation between everyone’s abdominal muscles, even without ever carrying a child.

When the linea alba width is greater than a 2 centimeters, separation is classified as a diastasis recti.

When does diastasis recti go away after pregnancy?

Studies vary on the degree of abdominal separation postpartum, with many studies saying about 40% of women will still have a diastasis at 6 months postpartum. (1)

There are many changes that happen over the first year postpartum. Working with a trained professional that understands diastasis recti and can design a core strengthening program for you, can help with diastasis healing. (2)

What is the best non-surgical treatment for diastasis recti?

An exercise program that is individualized and catered to core stability is effective at reducing diastasis recti.(2) Physical therapy with a pelvic floor physical therapist who is trained in and understands diastasis healing is an important part of core retraining.

Pelvic floor physical therapists will help design a customized core exercise program that is aimed at matching your goals. Also, in order for muscles to properly function, they need to both contract AND relax.  Without relaxation, contraction is difficult. 

Furthermore, use of a real time ultrasound to help isolate the transverse abdominus muscle and to visualize a change in the distance between abdominal muscles can help with exercise selection and prescription.

Are compression leggings or waist trainers helpful at decreasing diastasis recti?

There is no evidence to support compression leggings and waist trainers for helping patients with Diastasis Recti improve their symptoms.

Unfortunately there are many companies out there that make false claims about their product flattening the stomach and reducing the size of a diastasis, without any research backing their claims.

In addition, from our perspective, patients that use waist trainers or heavy compression leggings have a significantly hard time activating their core due to inability to relax their core. When wearing compression, our muscles can never reach a relaxed length, and if they can’t adequately relax, contraction will be difficult. 

In addition, in order to remodel the tissue and improve the tension through the linea alba, the abdominal muscles must be recruited. Passive compression through the abdomen does not load the linea alba and abdominal muscles, so therefore cannot help improve tension and strength of the abdomen.

Overall non-surgical management of diastasis recti including individualized exercise prescription is extremely effective at improving diastasis recti.

Please be sure to avoid any products that are making false claims, without scientific research backing them up.

References: 

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1356689X14001817

2. https://journals.lww.com/jwphpt/Fulltext/2021/10000/Efficacy_of_a_Core_Strengthening_Program_for.3.aspx

Vivid Women’s Health is a women’s health physical therapy practice located in Newtown, PA. We provide unmatched pelvic floor physical therapy to help women resolve pelvic floor symptoms. 

If you are local to the Newtown, Bucks County, PA area, please click here to find out more about our in person services. If you are visiting our site from afar, we offer virtual services to help you overcome your pelvic health concerns. For virtual services, please click here.

We proudly put our patients first by offer one-on-one appointments for a full hour. You will have time to be heard and we will take time to listen to your whole story. You won’t be passed between different professionals and we will work to get you a holistic solution to your pelvic health concerns. We choose to participate in a private pay model so that we can focus on putting patients first.  To find out more about the private pay model, click here.