You may have been told that you shouldn't plank, run or do various sits up with a diastasis. Spend a little time on google and you will find lots of diastasis "safe" and "unsafe" exercises.
The fact is that everyone is different, because diastasis isn’t a blanket diagnosis and functional ability varies person to person. One person may dome when they front plank, but be fine when they do a sit up; some one else might be the opposite. It's so important to get a proper assessment of the linea alba and core muscle activation doing functional movements, otherwise you may be missing out on that high level yoga class unnecessarily. A physiotherapist can assess the size and tension of a diastasis gap, but also the functional movements or exercises that doming. Once this has been established, a suitable strengthening programme can be given to regain strength and control to prevent doming in those specific movement planes.
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Diastasis refers to a separation of the rectus abdominis muscles across the linea alba. Diastasis occurs naturally in pregnancy, but can continue in some women in the postnatal period. The presentation of diastasis can vary, so thorough examination is important. Here are some of the factors that can vary from person to person.
1. Width and Depth It is important to assess both the width and the "softness" of the gap on palpation. An ongoing gap with firm tension shows that there is good abdominal strength, and often rehab is not required. A gap with soft tension tends to pose more issues with doming and will require rehab. 2.Location The separation might be more pronounced at different points along the midline of the abdomen (see above image). The gap is commonly largest around the belly button area, but can occur higher or lower. 3.Associated Symptoms Often diastasis goes hand in hand with other core related symptoms such as incontinence and back pain. Understanding these variations can help healthcare professionals assess and guide appropriate treatment, which may include exercises and physiotherapy. It can be tempting to think you might be able to self treat a pelvic floor problem. Add in a few kegels to your day and all will be sorted right?
- Not all pelvic floor problems are solved by kegels (doing pelvic floor contraction work), for example: certain pain conditions or tight/hypertonic pelvic floors - If a contraction is appropriate but your technique is wrong, it won't be effective. - Part of pelvic floor rehab is starting at an appropriate level and then progressing appropriately. If you start at the wrong level or don't progress at the right time you may find you don't improve. - It's imperative to make your pelvic floor rehab activity/sport specific to ensure you achieve full resolution of your symptoms during higher lev.el activity Conclusion? Get your GP to refer you to your local NHS physio service or contact your local private pelvic floor physio for a full assessment and treatment. |
AuthorClaire is a women's health and sports Physiotherapist. She is the owner of Spring Physio and is based in East Sussex. Archives
October 2024
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