Diastasis

  Diastasis is the separation of the right and left rectus abdominis muscles or the “six-pack” muscles due to stretching and thinning of the linea alba, which is connective tissue that runs vertically from the bottom of your ribs to the top of your pubic bone, joining the right and left sides of your abdominal muscles. During pregnancy, it is normal for the linea alba to stretch to accommodate the growing fetus. For some women, the gap between the abdominals shrinks back to its pre-pregnancy state quickly and without effort. For other women, the gap remains.

If this is the case for you, the focus at physiotherapy will be on how to manage the pressure in your abdominal cavity as you go about the activities in your daily life, including lifting your babe, sitting up out of bed, and returning to exercise. For example, if you hold your breath and lift something heavy or do a sit-up, the pressure in your abdominal cavity increases, potentially resulting in a “doming or tenting” appearance down the midline of your stomach along the stretched linea alba. Your therapist will teach you how to use your breath and engage your inner core muscles to prevent this bulging. More than focusing on the gap closing, it is important to focus on generating tension in your inner core muscles so that the linea alba feels somewhat firm to your touch when your core is engaged. This will ensure your core is stabilizing and supporting you in an ideal manner.