4 Diastasis Recti Exercises – Physical Therapy Exercises for Diastasis Repair (Video)

Have you been diagnosed with diastasis recti or abdominal muscle separation?

Are you looking for diastasis recti exercises on the mat to flatten your tummy?

Diastasis recti is a separation of the outer rectus abdominis or ‘6 pack’ muscles where they join in the mid line of the abdomen.

Unfortunately many women return to inappropriate abdominal exercises with diastasis recti. Doing the wrong abdominal exercises can prevent or delay your diastasis recovery.

Diastasis Recti Video

This diastasis recti video exercise routine is a great place to start your rehabilitation.

Video content: Physiotherapist demonstration of 4 mat-based deep abdominal core exercises
Video duration: 7 minutes 30 seconds
Suitability: General

Please scroll down for more help to manage diastasis recti after pregnancy and childbirth.

Strength & Core Workout for Women (Download or Hard Copy)

Strength & Core video is a pelvic floor friendly core exercise workout with Physiotherapist Michelle Kenway

This whole body workout that strengthens your core abdominal and pelvic floor muscles in addition to whole body strength and posture training.

Strength & Core Benefits

Strength & Core Workout includes exercises designed to:

• Exercise safely and avoid injury
• Train core abdominal muscles
• Strengthen pelvic floor muscles
• Strengthen and tone hips, butt and thighs
• Improve posture
• Strengthen back muscles
• Body weight management

Diastasis Recti Treatment

Treatment for this condition may include:

• Appropriate deep abdominal muscle activation exercises
• Binding the abdominal muscles together using tubigrip (abdominal elastic binder) or support garments
• Avoiding inappropriate abdominal exercises
• Modifying everyday activities to avoid abdominal strain (e.g. heavy lifting)

How to Measure Diastasis Recti

Diastasis recti is caused by stretching of the abdominal wall during pregnancy and/or the forceful bearing down phase of labour. Diastasis occurs when the membrane joining the 2 Rectus Abdominis muscles splits apart or separates.

If your muscle separation measures more than 2 finger spaces apart (above the navel) this condition is referred to as diastasis recti (or rectus diastasis).

4 Diastasis Recti Exercises

These diastasis recti exercises are 4 mat-based deep core abdominal exercises to help you recover your core control, flatten your tummy and promote diastasis healing.

It’s important to avoid intense core abdominal exercises such as abdominal curls and heavily loaded resistance exercises during your diastais recovery. These types of abdominal exercises increase strain on the upper abdominal muscles causing them to separate rather than close together and heal.

Diastasis Recti Exercise 1

Activating the deep abdominal muscles in side lying.

• Start by lying on your side
• Use your fingers to feel your abdominal wall just inside your pelvic bone
• Activate your lower abdominal wall by gently drawing inwards the area beneath your briefs
• Maintain this abdominal activation for up to 10 seconds
• Breathe normally throughout
• Relax your abdominal wall back to resting

Note: Your upper abdomen should remain relaxed throughout this exercise

Progression

Start out by learning to correctly activate your deep abdominal muscles before extending the duration of this hold for up to 10 seconds at a time

Diastasis Recti Exercise 2

Activating the deep abdominal muscles lying flat

• Start lying on your back
• Bend your knees and keep your feet flat
• Keep the normal inward curve in your lower back throughout
• Place your fingers on your lower abdominal wall just inside your pelvic bones
• Gently activate your deep abdominal muscles (same technique as exercise 1)
• Maintain this abdominal activation for up to 10 seconds
• Breathe normally throughout
• Relax your abdominal wall back to resting

Note: Your upper abdomen should remain relaxed throughout this exercise

Progression

Start out by learning to correctly activate your deep abdominal muscles before extending the duration of this hold for up to 10 seconds at a time

Diastasis Recti Exercise 3

Bent Knee Fall Outs

Progress the challenge for your core muscles.

• Start lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat
• Keep the normal inward curve in your lower back throughout
• Activate lower abdominal muscles (as for exercises 1 & 2)
• Gently lower your right bent leg to the right side of your body
• Keep your left knee bent and pointing upwards towards the ceiling
• Keep your pelvis stable throughout this exercise – try to avoid trunk rotation
• Return your right leg to starting position as soon as you detect movement in your trunk
• Relax your deep abdominal muscles
• Repeat 2-3 exercises each side when starting out

Progress this exercise by doing a number of repeated diastasis recti exercises in succession without releasing your abdominal contraction

Diastasis Recti Exercise 4

Heel Slides

Progress the challenge for your core muscles.

• Start in the same position already outlined for exercise 3
• Place your fingers to feel your lower abdominal muscles just inside your pelvis
• Gently activate your deep abdominal muscles and extend your right leg
• When you feel your lower back begin to arch return your leg back to your starting position
• Relax your deep abdominal muscles
• Repeat 2-3 exercises each side when starting out
• Progress this exercise by doing a number of repeated diastasis recti exercises in succession without releasing your abdominal contraction
• Repeat 2-3 exercises each side when starting out

Key Points for Diastasis Recti Exercises

Appropriate diastasis recti exercises can restore deep abdominal control and promote abdominal muscle recovery after pregnancy and childbirth.

The key to successful strengthening is to ensure the correct deep abdominal activation technique and then progressively challenge the deep abdominal muscles with exercises that further promote core control.

Avoid intense core abdominal exercises if you have diastasis recti and choose appropriate Physiotherapy deep core diastasis recti exercises.