Diastasis Recti: Causes and Treatment
- it is normal to have DR occur during pregnancy
- knowing how to lift properly is important for your entire body
- changes to hormones change the integrity of musculoskeletal tissue
- learning to control changes in intra abdominal pressure, effective motor control of abdominal and pelvic girdle muscles are key to reducing symptoms
- identifying the root cause of bloating and constipation in your body will inherently improve your body’s ability to control “core” muscles
If you suffer from a diastasis recti and have not been assessed by a pelvic floor physical therapist, start there!
Diastasis recti affects our overall core function, which includes the pelvic floor. In order to get everything working together again you should undergo an internal pelvic floor assessment as well as an external pelvic girdle exam. During the evaluation, the physical therapist will be able to identify functional and structural impairments that may be contributing to ongoing symptoms, and can either help you to continue to improve your function, or have the resources to refer you to a surgeon if conservative approaches have been exhausted. Everyone’s body is different which is why an evaluation is so important; to make sure you are doing the proper treatments for your specific needs!
