Abdominal Separation/Diastasis Recti I think youll find you do have. As there is only a 1/2 finger width between having and not having this. And everyones fingers are a different width!iyswim. Everything you say point towards this.
The test is here for anyone who wants to use it...Do this test GuGu...if you havent already.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, and the soles of your feet on the floor.
- Place one hand behind your head, and the other hand on your abdomen, with your fingertips across your midline?parallel with your waistline? at the level of your belly button.
- With your abdominal wall relaxed, gently press your fingertips into your abdomen.
- Roll your upper body off the floor into a ?crunch,? making sure that your ribcage moves closer to your pelvis.
- Move your fingertips back and forth across your midline, feeling for the right and left sides of your Rectus Abdominis muscle.
Make sure you do the test properly, so that your rib cage gets closer to your pelvis. If you just pull your head up (the lazy way) then you may be getting a false measurement.
Signs:
A small amount of separation of midline?one to two fingers? width?is common after most pregnancies, and is not a problem. But if the gap at your midline is:
? more than 2 1/2 finger widths
? does not shrink as you deepen the work of your abdominals or
? you can see a small mound protruding at your midline.
You Can^ Recover from Abdominal Separation/Diastasis Recti GuGu, but it will take alot of work and courage been as its been 2 years since the birth of your last child. Ideally reconditioning should be started before baby is 6 months old. So if you dont see changes yet, like you say keep going.
COMMON MYTHS (which if anyone tells you the following, ignore)
- It causes permanent damage to your midline.
- Abdominal muscles will never flatten
- It requires surgical repair.
- The abdominal muscles will always be weaker after childbirth.
None of these statements are true!
Abdominal Separation/Diastasis Recti:
What it is, and what to do about it.
For some women, pregnancy can cause abdominal separation.Its a condition where the two right and left sides of the Rectus Abdominis?the ?six-pack? muscle?spreads apart at the body?s midline.
Separation occurs in response to the force of the uterus pushing against the abdominal wall, and pregnancy hormones that soften connective tissue. Separation can occur anytime in the last half of pregnancy but is most problematic after pregnancy when the abdominal wall is weak.
Abdominal separation/diastasis recti reduces the integrity and functional strength of the abdominal wall and can aggravate lower back pain and pelvic instability. Separation in a previous pregnancy significantly increases the probability, and severity, of the condition in subsequent pregnancies.
GuGu you need to take a few special precautions during exercise and other activities.
Avoid all activities that place stress on the midline, that stretch or overly expand the abdominal wall through everyday activities, exercise or inhalation techniques. Some yoga techniques can be damaging.
Some Types of Movement to Avoid (especially after a c-section)
? Movements where the upper body twists and the arm on that side reaches backward, such as during a tennis serve.
? Exercises that require lying backward over a large exercise ball.
? Yoga postures that stretch the abs, such as ?cow pose,? ?up-dog,? all backbends, and ?belly breathing.?
? Most traditional abdominal exercises that work the exterior abdominal muscles, such as crunches and oblique curls.
? All exercises that cause your abdominal wall to bulge out upon exertion.
? Rising from a supine position by rolling up and twisting at the same time. Instead, roll first onto your side, and then use your arms to help push yourself up to a sitting position.
? Lifting and carrying very heavy objects.
? Intense coughing while your muscles are unsupported.
Most postnatal fitness programs advise women to 'manually splint' (tense and hold) their midlines together while performing exercises like head lifts, crunches and curls. However, reliance on external forces only will not adequately close the gap in your midline. Manual splinting can actually be inaffective if the Transverse abdominal muscle is not strengthened. Because external splinting performs the function that your deep abdominals should do, they don?t have to work, and so stay weak. If the Transverse Abdominis does not have enough strength, then the abdominal wall will bulge out(like your tummy) upon exertion, which stretches the midline and can make abdominal separation worse.
"Ideally, in all abdominal exercises that flex the upper spine, movement should be initiated in the thorax, which will pull the rib cage closer to the pelvis. The head and shoulders should stay fairly relaxed, and basically ?go along for the ride.? In Pilate?s exercises, this is aptly called the ?head-float position.? "
Its good to hear you have started pilates. You may find the above helpful.
After two yrs you may find that the gap between your muscles will not shrink very much but here are some exercises you can do to help:
The No-Crunch Crunch
To do this exercise, start by lying on the floor with your knees bent and feet firmly on the floor.
Lightly place your hands just below and to the sides of your belly button. Firmly press two fingers from each hand into your lower abdomen.
Gently begin to draw your lower abdomen down towards the floor (picture a string pulling your navel towards the floor) but do not move your pelvis, raise your chest or hold your breath.
Stop drawing in your stomach as soon as you feel your muscles get tight. The muscles underneath your fingers should feel taut but the movement does not require a lot of effort. If you move too far, you will in fact stop working your transverse abs Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds, breathing normally(in through the nose, out through the mouth) the entire time.
Do ten repetitions.
Scissor Kicks
To do this abdominal exercise, start by lying on the floor. Place your hands under your buttocks and keep your back pressed against the floor.
Raise one leg about 10 inches off the ground and slowly lower it back down. As you lower the one leg, raise the other.
Do three sets of ten repetitions.
Pelvic Tilts
Lying on the floor with your back pressed against the floor, bend your knees keeping your feet on the ground.
Slowly lift your pelvis up and hold briefly before lowering slowly back down to the ground. Your upper body should remain on the floor throughout the movement.
Do three sets of 15 repetitions.
Lifted-leg Push-up
If you?re feeling very strong in your upper body, or if you just feel like multi-tasking during your workout, then give this challenging exercise a whirl.
Push ups
Get into push-up position but keep your feet hip-width apart.
Raise one leg as high as you can and then do a regular push-up. Switch legs and repeat.
This is a pretty tough one, especially if you don?t have much upper-body strength, so just do as many as you can.
For an easier variation of this exercise, try this:
(the female push up, as my gym instructor used to call it)
Get down on all fours with your hands positioned about shoulder-width apart, elbows slightly bent. Your knees should be together and positioned underneath your hips. Then do the push up. Keep your back straight and dont stick your bum in the air!