Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles in men. Treatment. Signs of diastasis of the abdominal muscles and how to eliminate it

“A woman is not born, one is made,” said the French writer Simone de Beauvoir. How to become a woman? To learn two sciences - to sacrifice for the sake of beauty and to sacrifice beauty.

Pregnancy is the very case when you have to give up flat abs, perky breasts and slender hips. In the end, the form can be returned. And even surpass yourself "before". Except for the protruding tummy...

Neither proper nutrition nor exercise helps to get rid of the "belly"? The cause can be searched in the area of ​​the white line, suspecting diastasis. What is it and how to live with it, we will understand.

There are more than 640 muscles in the human body, and the strongest of them is the jaw. As for the press, its relief (“cubes”) is formed by straight, oblique and transverse muscles. The divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles to the sides of the white line (connective tissue that unites the muscles) is called diastasis.

Why diastasis may appear

Feel free to disperse!

Normally, the rectus muscles are connected almost end-to-end. They speak of their divergence when the gap is 2 cm or more. What becomes the cause?

Provocateur number one is pregnancy. The growing fetus stretches the abdomen. The hormone relaxin softens the connective tissue. Nature does not think about the flat press of the expectant mother. She cares about the health of the baby, surrounding his development with comfortable conditions.

diastasis after childbirth converges after 1.5-2 months. But not always. Multiple pregnancy, large fetus, untrained muscles - in these and other cases, the tendons can stretch more than normal and not return to their place.

In addition to pregnancy, weight jumps, heavy physical exertion, prolonged exhausting cough, chronic constipation - any factor that increases abdominal pressure or reduces muscle tone can lead to diastasis.

In men, it is similar, with the exception, of course, of pregnancy. Not always a "beer" tummy is the result of libations. Overwork can bring a man to diastasis!

Why is diastasis a problem?

The divergence of the abdominal muscles is not only an aesthetic defect. If the “groove” of 1.5 cm does not threaten health, as it expands, a lump of unpleasant side effects grows, including pain in the lower back and abdomen, discomfort during sexual activity, prolapse of internal organs, risks of hernia formation, urinary incontinence and others

No "gap"? No diastasis! Found a "hole" into which fingers fall? You have diastasis. Do not rush to download the press. A fundamentally wrong solution that does not solve the problem, but exacerbates it. Let's talk about effective correction methods right now.

How to remove diastasis - types of correction

Diastasis is not ignored, but corrected. From a cosmetic flaw, muscle divergence can develop into a dramatic story about a hospital bed.

The question of what to do should be answered based on the stage of diastasis. The smaller the "chasm" between the muscles, the higher the chances of returning the tummy to a flat shape in a natural (non-surgical) way.

Let's move on to practice and start with a conservative correction, which is almost always effective in the first stage, in most cases it helps to reduce the size of second-degree diastasis, but, alas, it is absolutely helpless with third-degree muscle divergence.

Exercises to correct diastasis after childbirth

The first thing we start the correction with is to stop downloading the press.

Also prohibited:

• any lifting of the legs and body in the prone position - twisting, "bike", "scissors";
• power poses that increase abdominal pressure - push-ups, planks, lunges, jumps;
• poses that stretch the stomach - exercises on the fitball, pull-ups, bridges, "dogs" and "cows" from yoga.

Having dealt with the unnecessary initiative, we turn to mandatory fitness, and fitness for diastasis is a pool, walking and running. The rest is optional and under strict medical supervision.

At home, we pump the tummy with special exercises that have nothing to do with the classic modeling of the press.

shoulder bridge

Starting position - lying on your back, arms along the body, palms down, legs bent at the knees. Lift your pelvis off the floor and push it up. Hold at the top, squeeze your buttocks, tighten your abs and return to the PI. Repeat at least 10 times (here and below).

The starting position is the same. Exhale, draw in your stomach and lift your head off the floor, pressing your chin to your chest. Inhaling, lower your head.

« Cat»

Without too much modesty, get on all fours. Pulling in your stomach, arch your back. Keeping your stomach in, bend down. Take a master class from a cat.

Abdominal retraction

You can correct diastasis anywhere, pulling in the stomach and holding it in a retracted position. Do not limit yourself in the number of repetitions.

Regular exercise in conjunction with proper fractional nutrition will give results after 1-3 months with first stage diastasis. A wider divergence of muscles will have to be fought for up to a year. What to do if all the deadlines have passed, but the tummy has not returned to its place?

VIDEO INSTRUCTION

Removal operation

The decision on the need for surgical correction is made no earlier than one year after the birth. The indication is the ineffectiveness of the multitasking correction system - nutrition, activity and exercise. Is it worth resorting to surgical treatment?

Diastasis, "indifferent" to exercise, will not disappear over time, but will worsen. How much? It will depend on lifestyle and nutrition. It may remain a cosmetic defect, or it may lead to a hernia.

In the surgical correction of diastasis, a traditional technique is distinguished using a wide incision (15-20 cm) of abdominal tissues and minimally invasive plastic surgery - endoscopic and laparoscopic operations.

Due to the lack of a cosmetic effect and high risks of complications, a traditional incision is rarely used. However, this type of operation has the right to exist and can be carried out in the absence of appropriately qualified personnel or medical equipment in the institution.

Surgical correction of diastasis is contraindicated in:

• pulmonary and heart failure;
• diabetes mellitus, extensive obesity;
• systemic pathologies of connective tissue;
• acute diseases and exacerbation of chronic;
• planned pregnancy, during weight loss.

Hematomas, seromas, suppuration and necrosis can become complications of diastasis plastic surgery - unpredictable and typical “side effects” for abdominal surgery.

After surgery: rehabilitation in the "active" mode

The operation can get rid of diastasis, and can cause it. We are talking about surgical operations on the organs of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis. Cavity incisions violate the innervation - muscular weakness of the abdominal muscles develops.

The situation is aggravated by the “protective” mode, which prescribes to forget about the loads for at least a couple of months.

Having abused passive rehabilitation, against the background of muscular weakness, it is easy to get diastasis.

Meanwhile, there is a compromise between medical prescriptions and the desire to keep the tummy in good shape. And his name is rehabilitation in the "active" mode.

• You can’t strain at first, but you can move. And it is necessary. While the seam heals, long walks are fitness number one.
• The tummy can be supported with a bandage, but without fanaticism. Any bandage does not train, but relaxes the muscles. An alternative is to draw in the stomach at any opportunity.
• Nutrition is of great importance. It should be not only correct, but also fractional. Fiber is added to the menu to prevent constipation.
• After 1-2 months (with the approval of a doctor!) You can start the traditional load. The nature of training is cautious. Turnovers increase gradually. For any discomfort, see a doctor.

Whether “cubes” are necessary for the female belly is a moot point. But the "tum" in his free time from the "interesting position" is definitely not the place on it. Moreover, any bulging problem can be solved. And it's better to start today, not later. Get into the cat pose

The birth of a child is a great happiness for any mother, but at the same time, this joyful event is often accompanied by not very pleasant changes in the figure and appearance of a woman. The main changes often occur in weight gain, as well as in the appearance diastasis after childbirth. Those who have already had the experience of having a baby are most likely familiar with this medical term, but for those who have this process yet to come, it is worth defining it.

Diastasis rectus abdominis- this is the divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles relative to the white line (connective tissue, where the tendons of the muscles connect). This discrepancy can be either very small (up to 1.5 cm in the first weeks after childbirth), or significant (from 2 cm or more). It is the size and period of its manifestation that indicates the seriousness of this problem for a woman. And today we will analyze all the nuances associated with diastasis after childbirth, find out its causes, learn how to determine if you have diastasis or not, and also consider effective exercises for diastasis, which will help strengthen the abdominal muscles and get rid of a bulging tummy.

A bit of anatomy

The abdominal muscles include four muscle groups, two of which are external and two are internal.

The extrinsic muscles are rectus and external oblique abdominal muscles, which form the well-known 6 cubes. And the internal abdominal muscles are transverse and internal oblique muscles, which create a certain muscular frame, which allows us to tightly hold our internal organs, as well as tighten our waist, making it narrower. Thus, their actions can be compared with the principle of a tightened corset, which makes our figure athletic and graceful.

How to determine diastasis?

Before we move on to practical recommendations and exercises for diastasis, you must first determine whether you have it or not. To do this, you need to do the following test:

1. Lie on your back, bend your knees (feet on the floor).
2. Place one hand behind your head, and place 2-3 fingers of the second hand along your entire midline at the level of the navel, parallel to the waist line.
3. Raise your head off the floor, feeling the abdominal muscles tighten.
4. Begin to feel the entire midline with your fingers, moving up and down from the navel line. Record how many fingers fit between the abdominal muscles.

If the gap has not formed, and the muscles of your press have not formed a "hole", then you do not have diastasis, congratulations! If you feel that your abdominal muscles have parted to the sides, and a cavity a few centimeters wide has formed between them, then you have diastasis rectus abdominis.

Causes

Of course, diastasis itself cannot occur. Several factors influence its appearance:

- increased intra-abdominal pressure (lifting heavy weights, straining)

- weakness of the connective tissue, which leads to diseases such as hernias, varicose veins, excessive mobility of joints and ligaments, etc.

- pregnancy.

In this article, we consider diastasis rectus abdominis, associated precisely with the last factor, which concerns almost all women - future and real mothers.

In pregnant women, as the fetus grows, the uterus also increases in size, which increases pressure on the abdominal wall, stretching the connective tissue (white line of the abdomen), which, under the influence of the hormone relaxin, becomes softer and more elastic. The hormone relaxin is secreted in pregnant women in order to make their ligaments and joints more mobile, which helps women give birth easier, but at the same time it makes the connective tissue that makes up our white line of the abdomen overly elastic. It turns out that the hormone relaxin contributes to the appearance of diastasis in pregnant women.

These two factors are increased pressure of the uterus on the abdominal wall and overly elastic connective tissue - and are the main reasons for the appearance diastasis after childbirth.

But in fact, you don’t need to immediately fall into despair and postpartum depression if you find yourself with diastasis immediately after childbirth. This phenomenon is absolutely normal. Most mothers who have given birth have a divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles, which normally should not exceed 2 cm. That is, if the width of your white line is 2-3 cm within 1.5 months after childbirth, then this is absolutely normal (the reasons we have already determined). During this period, you just need to do strengthening exercises for the abdominal muscles, which I will talk about below, and just wait for the muscles to tone up and the distance will decrease by itself.

If the divergence of the muscles exceeds more than 3 cm (3-4 fingers can easily fit between the abdominal muscles that have parted to the sides), then here you should take this issue more seriously and use the exercises below to reduce your diastasis, since there is a high probability that it won't just disappear on its own.

Stages of diastasis

1 stage- a slight expansion of the white line of the abdomen, which practically does not visually affect the shape of the abdomen (divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles up to 4-5 cm).

Stage 2 - divergence of the rectus abdominis muscle in its lower section. At this stage, a protruding tummy is already noticeable, especially in its lower part (divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles up to 7-10 cm).

Stage 3 - divergence of the rectus abdominis, both in the lower and upper sections. This already significantly affects the shape of the abdomen, plus everything can cause an umbilical hernia (divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles up to 15 cm).

With the first stage of diastasis, it is possible to return the prenatal shape of the abdomen very quickly and without surgical intervention, especially if the girl was friends with sports before childbirth and during pregnancy.

If the girl has the 2nd stage of diastasis, then special exercises for the press + will help her significantly reduce the size of the diastasis within 7-10 weeks. And if the girl has the 3rd stage, then, most likely, it’s not so easy to get rid of diastasis. Perhaps it makes sense to resort to surgical intervention and do an abdominoplasty (tightening of the rectus abdominis muscles), but even such a radical method does not always promise to return your flat stomach to 100%, and the cost of this procedure is not the cheapest ... Therefore, the choice here is up to the woman and depends on her financial situation and the degree of her desperation.

How to get rid of diastasis yourself?

Diastasis rectus abdominis is a very serious problem for all women, causing them both external (aesthetic) discomfort in the form of a protruding belly (sometimes it seems that they are 3-5 months pregnant, their belly protrudes so much), and internal (moral) discomfort, which affects their self-doubt and low self-esteem.

Therefore, it is not surprising that girls who are faced with this problem want to get rid of it by any means. To do this, they search for various videos on the Internet, read articles and communicate with other mothers who have the same problem as they do, trying to get rid of diastasis on their own based on some advice. But in fact, there is a lot of information on the Internet, and often it is very contradictory. Some sources indicate some exercises and ways to get rid of diastasis, others - completely different, and contradicting the first. In such an information space of options, it is easy to get confused, but it is even easier to exacerbate an already existing problem.

Most of the abdominal exercises that we are used to doing in the gym, at home or in fitness classes, mainly involve the external abdominal muscles, which are responsible for the formation of those very ones. But when it comes to diastasis, we don’t need to pump cubes, which are of no use, but to strengthen the internal muscles of the press, which will hold the internal organs and can save you from a bulging belly. But before proceeding to consider useful and effective exercises for diastasis, let's find out what exercises will not only not lead to the desired flat stomach, but can also cause your diastasis to aggravate, for example, if you had the 1st stage of diastasis, then it can become the 2nd, and if you had the 2nd I, then can become the 3rd.

Prohibited exercises for diastasis

• Crunches/rollups/setups
• Various twists (straight, side, reverse)
• Bike
• Lowering and raising legs from a prone position
• Push ups
• Lower back exercises
• Fitball exercise, which involves a strong stretching of the abdominal muscles.

Unlike various types of crunches, which only engage the external abdominal muscles and do nothing to improve the situation with your muscles that have parted to the sides, exercises aimed at the internal deep muscles of the abs are the lifesaver that can radically change the appearance of your protruding abdomen and significantly reduce diastasis. What are these exercises?

Exercise "Vacuum" is one of the most effective exercises for working out exactly the INTERNAL TRANSVERSAL abdominal muscle, which is responsible for the muscular corset and holding the organs inside. If you regularly (3-5 times a week) perform this exercise, then the first positive results can be seen after 1.5-2 months.

The Planck exercise and all its variants (classic and side planks) are static, which means that when you perform them, you use the internal abdominal muscles, just like in a vacuum. Therefore, be sure to include planks in your diastasis exercises if you want to see your flat tummy.

Abs workout with different plank options

This complex is designed for a fairly advanced level. Of course, young mothers after the birth of a child are not in the best shape, so you need to start doing the bar gradually from the simplest option in 3 sets of 40-60 seconds of holding in statics, and then, as your muscles begin to grow stronger, you can add more and more complex modifications to this exercise and increase the time of the ab workout itself.

It is important to remember that when performing the plank with diastasis, you need to carefully monitor the technique of performing the exercise and all the time RETRACT THE STOMACH. Your abdominal muscles should not be relaxed even for a second! This is a very important point!

 Notes

You can perform abdominal exercises with diastasis 3-4 weeks after childbirth.

1. All static press exercises

These exercises involve holding the abdominal muscles without moving for a while. Such exercises can also be ordinary twists, but only performed WITHOUT MOVEMENT OF THE BODY UP-DOWN. For example, holding the shoulders at the top IN STATIC and exercise HUNDRED:

Holding the press in static tension

Exercises HUNDRED

We perform this exercise from 40 seconds to 1-2 minutes in 3 sets

Do 20-30 repetitions in 3 sets.

1. Glute Bridge

This exercise strengthens the pelvic floor muscles well. You can perform it, both in a simple version (two feet are on the floor), and complicated (one leg is raised up or lies on the knee of the other). Perform 15 repetitions in 3 sets.

All of the above exercises for diastasis are simple but quite effective. If you perform them regularly at least 3 times a week, plus all this, stick to a balanced fractional diet and do at least a short light cardio several times a week, then the result can be seen after 1.5-3 months for girls with the 1st stage of diastasis and after 4-8 months (possibly up to 1 year) for girls with the 2nd and 3rd stage of diastasis. The main thing to remember is the regularity of training and the correct technique for performing exercises.

I hope I was able to answer all your questions, and now you know that a small natural diastasis after childbirth- this is a normal phenomenon, which can be combated with specially selected exercises. You also learned how to determine if you have diastasis rectus abdominis or not, and what to do if you still find it in yourself. Hope the above exercises for diastasis, will help you reduce it in size and return your belly to its prenatal state.

Sincerely yours, Yaneliya Skripnik!

Beautiful female belly with a hollow in the middle

Diastasis (from the Greek diastosis) is separation, stretching, thinning, gap. We will talk about the divergence of the white line that connects the rectus muscles of the "abs".

White line of the abdomen is not a muscle. It is a connective tissue that consists of dense collagen and elastic fibers.

Normal (left) and overstretched white line of the abdomen

Normally, in women and men, the width of the white line is 0.5 - 3 cm. Everything that is more classified as diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles, that is, an increase in the distance between the left and right rectus muscles.

The divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles essentially resembles a seam on a garment. If the seams diverge, the parts no longer fit snugly together. The same thing happens with the white line of the abdomen when the collagen is stretched.

Contrary to claims about the benefits of exercise, diastasis does not go away on its own. Surgery is the only way to deal with this condition.

From this article, you will learn how to independently understand if there is diastasis of the white line of the abdomen, why diastasis is dangerous and why it cannot be cured at home.

First, we will talk about diastasis itself and the health risks associated with it. Then we will introduce the latest surgical practices for suturing diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles and its aesthetic correction.

Photos "Before" and "After"

Reliable signs of diastasis

Diastasis has one feature. Even if you have a pumped up and flat stomach, literally half a mug of water radically changes the situation, and the stomach looks like a person will never be friends with sports. The anterior abdominal wall protrudes, the navel protrudes.

The appearance of the abdomen is determined by the localization and degree of diastasis: in some it is manifested by a “puffed up” abdomen, in others by an everted navel.

Diastasis is dangerous for its consequences

Usually surgeons come with a complaint about an ugly "pregnant" or "beer" belly. But diastasis is not dangerous for aesthetics, but for its health consequences.

Sooner or later, a hernia of the abdomen will join the diastasis, when fat or a small fragment of the intestine comes out between the stretched fibers of the white line. A hernia is formed if you torment yourself with loads and intense training: pump the press, do squats, lift weights.

Diastasis hernia is a time bomb that carries the risk of strangulation and necrosis. Any necrosis is treated by emergency removal of the strangulated area, and in the case of the intestines, causes lifelong problems.

The second pregnancy with diastasis of the abdominal muscles carries the risk of oxygen starvation in the child and weak labor activity.

The disease manifests itself not only externally. Due to changes in the anatomy of the abdominal cavity, the organs are displaced, their activity is disrupted. Therefore, usually the presence of diastasis is accompanied by numerous digestive disorders from the intestines - spasms, back pain, bloating, flatulence, constipation, a feeling of fullness in the abdomen. Over time, these symptoms increase, urinary incontinence joins them.

Photos "Before" and "After"

How to determine diastasis of the abdomen yourself

To check the stomach yourself and recognize diastasis, you need to lie on a flat surface, bend your knees. Put one hand behind your head. Then on exhalation Raise your upper body as if you are doing abs. This makes it easier to detect the boundaries of the rectus abdominis muscles. With your other hand, feel the stomach in the middle, between the abdominal muscles. Diastasis is especially well felt in the navel area, since the anatomically white line of the abdomen is wider in this place.

And do not be alarmed when you find a discrepancy - if the distance between the muscles does not exceed 3 centimeters, everything is fine. More means you need to schedule an appointment with the surgeon. Whether to operate or not, you decide for yourself, but it is necessary to make a diagnosis.

On the left - diastasis of the white line of the abdomen, on the right - a normal, healthy abdomen.

Causes of diastasis

Connective tissue fibers are stretched under the influence of various factors. The reason for the discrepancy may be:

1. hereditary elasticity and "softness" of ligaments,
2. high body weight
3. excessive physical activity,
4. pregnancy and childbirth.

How to remove diastasis without surgery? Will exercises help with diastasis of the abdominal muscles?

If more than 6 months have passed since the birth, it is impossible to remove the stomach with diastasis without surgical intervention. Neither the “bar”, nor the “vacuum”, nor the massage will reduce it. No matter what you do, this condition will not go away on its own, and will only intensify over time.

Expert comment:

Does diastasis occur in men

Often, the divergence of the abdominal muscles in men is caused by excessive physical activity or, conversely, the lack of it.

In the first case, overloads lead to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. In the second - to the weakness of the abdominal muscles, because of which they cease to "hold" the internal organs, the white line experiences increased tension and gradually stretches.

Overweight and the so-called "beer belly" lead to the development of diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles in men. That is why the tummy does not go away even after lifestyle changes and total weight loss: an overstretched white line does not allow the abdominal muscles to hold the internal organs.

Treatment of diastasis of the abdominal muscles in men requires surgical suturing of the defect.

Diastasis in women

The main triggering factor for diastasis of the abdomen in women is pregnancy and childbirth - the white line of the abdomen is stretched and does not always return to its original size.

However, other factors also take place - diastasis of the press is also found in nulliparous.

Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles after childbirth develops for several reasons.

On the one hand, during pregnancy, the pregnant uterus presses on the white line from the inside. On the other hand, the female body is preparing for childbirth. It produces special hormones that increase tissue elasticity. But as a side effect, we observe softening and divergence of the white line of the abdomen.

An effective way to prevent diastasis during pregnancy is sports. The only condition: you need to start doing exercises at least a year before pregnancy, so that the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall have time to get stronger and prevent the white line of the abdomen from dispersing. It is necessary to pay attention to physical exercises during pregnancy - naturally, if the condition allows.

To prevent diastasis of pregnant women, many women use a bandage as a preventive measure. It cannot be said that it will 100% avoid problems, but it will unload the anterior abdominal wall. The main thing is to pick it up in size, only after consulting a doctor and wear it for no more than 3-4 hours in a row.

However, diastasis of the abdominal muscles after the first pregnancy is much less common than after the second. Therefore, planning a second child should be approached especially thoroughly.

True and false diastasis of the abdomen after childbirth

Treatment of diastasis of the abdomen after childbirth requires not every pregnancy. Do not rush immediately after childbirth to look for signs of diastasis and make a diagnosis for yourself.

After childbirth, the body is still focused on recovery. Everything that is softened and stretched tends to shrink, and the stomach gradually returns to normal. Therefore, it is premature to suspect muscle diastasis immediately after the birth of a child. The body comes to life gradually, and it is quite possible that a soft stomach is a temporary phenomenon that will pass by itself.

It makes sense to help yourself avoid diastasis of the abdominal muscles after childbirth with the help of a corset and a fitness instructor. And don't delay! Only in the first months after childbirth can you do without surgery and significantly reduce the initial stages of diastasis.

A year after giving birth, it will be too late, and no home methods will give results.

When can I determine the divergence of the abdominal muscles after childbirth?

The optimal time when you can reliably diagnose postpartum diastasis is 6 weeks after birth.

If the body takes on its former shape, and the stomach remains soft and falls out, most likely the diastasis is true, and you need to consult a specialist.

Diagnostics

To identify diastasis and find out its degree, it is necessary to perform an ultrasound scan. The study allows you to measure the exact dimensions of the white line: the treatment of diastasis of 1 degree (up to 7 cm) is different from the treatment of diastasis of 2 and 3 degrees (from 7 to 10 cm or more).

stages of diastasis.

Effective treatment of diastasis: surgery and only surgery

Surgery for diastasis is carried out in two ways:

• abdominal operation;
• endoscopic surgery without incisions, or laparoscopy.

Suturing diastasis in "Platinental"

We use a special corset technique for suturing with a double sealed thread - that is, we immediately apply a double suture in one pass and thereby significantly reduce the time of the operation.

Endoscopic surgery

The advantage of this operation is the absence of scars. To suture diastasis, you need only 3 punctures in the natural folds of the abdomen.

This diastasis surgery is suitable for women whose body has changed little after childbirth and does not have excess skin.

The possibilities of laparoscopy do not allow removal of excess skin, fat or hernia; make the stomach flatter or more prominent. This requires another operation and a small incision.

Surgery for diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles

The incision cannot be avoided if hernioplasty is necessary - an operation to remove diastasis and umbilical hernia, or abdominoplasty - removal of excess skin.

For this procedure, we make a very small incision of 4-5 centimeters in the lower abdomen below the bikini line. It gives the surgeon the freedom not only to remove hernias, but also to model a beautiful abdomen.

Diastasis of the rectus muscles is a divergence of the abdominal press. In simple terms, the white line has expanded. There are three stages of the disease. The reason is the increased load during pregnancy and contractions. Muscular structures move away from each other at a distance of 10 cm. The norm is 0.5-2 cm. 40% of young mothers face the problem.

With the onset of pregnancy, the figure changes and excess fat accumulates. After the birth of the baby, mothers try to get in shape and regain their figure. But it happens that nothing helps to remove and pump up the stomach.

The abdominal wall consists of two paired rectus muscles surrounded by a kind of sheath consisting of tendon sprains and wide lateral muscles. The white line is under the chest, and the end stretches to the pubic symphysis. Above the distance is greater, towards the bottom it decreases. If the connective tissue is weak as a result of a hereditary factor or for other reasons, then diastasis develops during childbirth.

30% of cases require surgery, but in the initial stages, recovery is achieved through simple measures. Doctors recommend regular exercise according to a special program for the press, which will help get rid of sprains.

How to independently determine diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles after childbirth?

Testing: lie on a hard surface, bend your legs, feet should stand straight. Place one hand under the head, and the other on the press so that the fingers are above the navel and perpendicular to the line. Now relax and dip your fingers inward. Without moving your arm, begin to slowly lift your upper body, as if you were about to pump your stomach. Freeze at the maximum point, without lifting your lower back from the floor, and begin to move your fingers along the center. The goal is to feel the edges of the muscles and measure the distance between them.

Disease stages:

1. I - the discrepancy reaches 5-7 cm.
2. II - the distance is more than 7 cm.
3. III - a severe pathology that will inevitably lead to sagging skin.

Only a doctor can diagnose diastasis and determine the stage. At the slightest suspicion of changes in the condition of the abdominal wall, contact a medical facility.

Causes and symptoms of diastasis

For 2-3 weeks after the birth of a child, mothers experience pain for various reasons - episiotomy, caesarean section, ruptures, etc. It is impossible to immediately identify a violation in the structure of the abdominal wall by pain. And the discomfort itself does not appear immediately, but over time. Perform a body examination as soon as possible. To identify discrepancies, do not feel the middle of the abdomen, the place where the line visually passes.

Causes of diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles:

• pregnancy, childbirth, including caesarean section;
• a severe cough or cold, due to which the abdominal muscles were constantly in tension;
• obesity or rapid weight loss, as a result of which the muscles and skin did not have time to adapt to changes in the body;
• congenital weakness of the connective tissue on the abdomen and a tendency to hernia;
• repeated pregnancy. If a woman gave birth to her first child at a young age, then the chances of a quick restoration of the skin on her stomach are greater than those of a 30-year-old.

Effective press exercise for diastasis

If the muscles have dispersed, then you must know how to return the body to normal and not harm yourself even more.

Abdominal exercises are strictly prohibited! These include tasks in which you need to perform leg raises, body lifts, shoulder lifts, push-ups, twists, and work with free weights.

Eliminate the disease and lose weight is not easy. You will need daily painstaking work for six months - a year.

A set of exercises for diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles:

• No. 1 Starting position - lying on your back, knee joints bent. At a slow pace, we tear off the pelvis from the floor, fix at the top point, count to 10, and lower ourselves. We pull the crown forward, and the tailbone up. Try not to hold your breath and do not give a strong load on the press.
• No. 2 Get on all fours, emphasis on straight arms. We exhale and lower our head down, and round the back in the lower back and stretch it up, at this moment we tighten the stomach. Exhale, raise your head, bend your back and relax. Perform at a slow pace. The number of repetitions is 10. Periodically, this number should increase.
• No. 3 Starting position, as in the previous task. The body is straight, the stomach is drawn in. As you exhale, straighten your left leg and try to raise it parallel to the floor. Do not bend in the lumbar! The toe on the working leg stretches inward, the foot is tense, even. Repeat 10 times for each side. Further complicate your task by stretching the opposite arm at the moment of lifting.
• No. 4 Lying on the back, the lower back is firmly pressed to the floor. The knees are bent. Now raise the lower leg on the right side until a right angle is formed with the body. Do the rise on the exhale, pull in the stomach strongly to turn on the press. Try not to tear off your buttocks and hips, slightly raise your head. Inhale - return to the starting position. Change of leg. Run 10 times per side. The exercise is aimed at deep study of the transverse muscles.
• No. 5 Turn on your left side and rest your elbow on the floor with your bent arm. Bend the opposite arm and place it on your waist or on your right shoulder. Raise your body so that it forms a straight line from head to toes. Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds, keeping the gluteal muscles and abs in tension. Now repeat the same on the right side.

To get results from classes and know how to remove the stomach, you need to learn how to breathe correctly.

1. Rinsing technique. We take a deep breath and fill the lungs to capacity, and then we release the air with jerks and light pressure from the abdomen. We hold our breath and start the circle again.
2. Vacuum. We sharply draw in oxygen through the nose, and then also quickly expel it from the lungs and strongly draw in the stomach, driving it under the ribs. Don't breathe for a few seconds. Inhale.
3. belly. This technique is perfect for young children. During air intake, they relax the press, and when exhaling, they strain. This is a gentle, but at the same time effective abdominal workout.
4. Burning. We deeply draw in oxygen through the nose, and expel it through the mouth. Help the body with the abdominal muscles by quickly contracting and relaxing them.

During training, the exercise is done on the exhale, and return to the starting position on the inhale.

Remember, no diet against fat can return the muscles to the correct position. And if you ate to pump the press with diastasis, you can earn complications. Get a medical diagnosis first.

1. Twisting.

The essence of the exercise: a person rises by twisting the upper body, thereby forcing the muscles of the direct press to work. This exercise will only increase the sagging stomach and will not give the desired effectiveness.

1. Leg lift.

Exercise is forbidden for women who have recently given birth, regardless of whether they suffer from diastasis of the abdominal muscles. Instead of a flat stomach, you can get a back injury and aggravate the disease.

1. Raising arms and legs.

The exercise is similar to the previous one, but with the addition of hands. You can use it only 6 months after giving birth, and then with the recommendation of a doctor. For a weakened woman's body, such a load is too great. You can cause pressure on the walls of the abdomen and increase it.

• avoid stress on the press and anything that affects intra-abdominal pressure;
• do not lift objects weighing more than 5 kilograms;
• get up from the sofa or bed from a position on your side so as not to use the press;
• walk straight and do not stoop your back;
• don't lie on your stomach. The best option would be to sleep on your side or back;
• avoid grueling workouts, especially strength training;
• it is allowed to perform exercises against diastasis on the lateral abdominal muscles;
• do Kegel exercises. They tighten the skin and abdominal muscles, and the man will thank you for it;
• don't overeat. Proper nutrition is the basis of everything. A person who expends more calories than he consumes will return to his former form.

A few months have passed after the birth, the baby has grown up, the first panic has passed, and you even got used to the new life schedule. There are moments when you can calmly admire your reflection. I want a manicure and a new lipstick, a hairdresser and a salon. And then - to show off on a walk is no longer one baby, but also yourself. And if it’s easy to deal with hair and nails, then sometimes you have to work on the figure. But what if you have been eating right and doing sports for a long time, but you can’t boast of a flat tummy? Perhaps this is diastasis - a fairly common postpartum phenomenon, which conventional training is not always able to overcome. But do not despair, a little new knowledge and regular exercises, and the result will be noticeable.

Diastasis is a separation of the rectus abdominis muscles., which is outwardly characterized by a soft abdomen and the inability to retract it. The discrepancy occurs due to the fact that the uterus, which has increased during pregnancy, presses on the walls of the abdomen, and the white line (the space between the muscles, which in athletes is responsible for those same cubes) increases. And this is normal - a muscle discrepancy of 1.5-3 cm during the first one and a half - two months after childbirth does not require correction. Most likely, over time, the stomach will return to normal and normal strengthening exercises will be enough. If more than two months have passed after childbirth, and the width of the white line exceeds 3 cm, then special exercises will be needed.

In some cases, diastasis cannot be eliminated on its own - if the discrepancy has reached 6–8 cm. In such situations, the only solution is surgery. Do not delay surgery if other methods fail, as diastasis can contribute to the formation of hernias.

Vladimir Alexandrovich Zhivotov, osteopath http://www.zhivotov.ru/articles/2016/12/07/diastaz-1.html

With diastasis, the abdominal muscles diverge along the white line

How to determine diastasis

Lie on your back, rest your legs bent at the knees on the floor, throw one hand behind your head, and with the other feel your stomach in the navel area. Feel the line from the navel up and down - if the fingers fall through - this is it, diastasis. How many fingers fit in the gap? If 2-3, then it's okay for now - this is 1 degree, almost imperceptible and easily corrected. Three to four fingers, easily entering the gap, speak of the second degree, in which the abdomen protruding in the lower part is already noticeable, and the third degree is usually noticeable immediately, as it leads to a change in the shape of the abdomen and even hernias. So, if you lay down to determine the presence of diastasis, it is unlikely that you have a third degree, and you can work on the rest. Let's work?

Video: diagnosis of diastasis

Effective Exercises

Surely you have already done various exercises for the press before you discovered diastasis, and, most likely, they were ineffective. Alas, standard workouts really do not help, but this does not mean that you have to put up with your tummy, you just have to act differently now. Now you will learn new exercises that will not only tighten your abdominal muscles, but also improve overall well-being, muscle tone, increase endurance and strength.

What is the best way to develop strength and endurance? Static exercises require the greatest stress. Try to take any uncomfortable position, say, squat down and spread your arms, and hold out for a minute or two - you will immediately feel the full strength and power of static. In addition, active exercises for diastasis are not shown. Training in a measured rhythm, with concentration of attention and targeted tension of the abdominal muscles without protrusion of the abdomen is exactly what you need. With diastasis of the first degree, regular strength and static training will return your stomach to its place in a couple of months. With the second degree, you will have to work longer, but you will notice the result in 3-5 months. In the case of diastasis of the third degree, and especially in the presence of umbilical hernias, you must first consult a doctor. Usually treatment in combination with adequate physical activity is also effective.

exercise vacuum

One of the simplest exercises is the recently widely publicized vacuum, the abdominal pull. Vacuum can be performed in different positions: lying on your back (this is the easiest option for beginners), standing (a little more difficult, but you can do it anytime and almost anywhere) and leaning forward or standing with emphasis on your knees and palms / elbows (the most difficult and effective option). The main thing is to observe the technique and do it regularly, at least once a day, and if possible more often.

The stomach during the exercise should be maximally drawn in, this is achieved by exhaling all the air from the lungs

So, exercise vacuum:

If it is difficult not to breathe for 15 seconds, take short breaths periodically.

Video: all the subtleties and options for performing a vacuum

exercise bike

Remember exercise bike? It strengthens the muscles of not only the press, but also the back, and also helps relieve swelling in the legs. The only feature is that with diastasis it needs to be performed a little differently, since with the simultaneous lifting of the legs, as in the classic version, the abdominal muscles protrude, and this should be avoided.

Lie down straight, put your hands behind your head. Raise one leg bent at the knee, pull towards you, hold for a second and lower. The second leg at this time should lie flat on the floor. Do the same with the other leg. To complicate the exercise and increase its effectiveness, do not lower the “calm” leg to the floor, but hold it horizontally on weight. But do not raise your head and shoulders - this option is not suitable for muscle divergence.

About the bar - almost an exercise-panacea - everyone probably heard, and maybe even tried to do it. And with diastasis, it will also come in handy, however, like the previous one, in a slightly edited version. You will have to master the side bar - without exaggeration, a unique exercise that literally involves all the muscles. It can be said that the exercise is a dream: you just stand for a certain time in the right position, and the muscles are tightened. True, the position is uncomfortable, but it involves all these muscles at the same time:

When exiting the plank, it is important to smoothly lower yourself to the floor to avoid injury.

The execution technique is quite simple: you need to lie on your side, rest your elbow and forearm and raise the body as evenly as possible. Feel yourself stretching like a string. Don't bend your knees and don't let your lower back dip. You need to hold out for at least 30-40 seconds, and ideally bring the time in the bar to a minute. After the time has elapsed, slowly lower yourself, repeat on the other side.

If plank is very difficult and you can’t even stand 30 seconds, start with an easier option: planks supported by a dais. Everything is exactly the same, only rest your arm bent at the elbow, for example, on the armrest of a chair or a non-slip coffee table. The sofa will not fit - the support must be rigid.

This exercise will help not only tighten the stomach, but also get rid of back pain, which is also familiar to many young mothers.

Video: how to do a side plank

Glute Bridge

The glute bridge is another magical exercise for strategically important areas: the press and buttocks.. It's easy to do it:

You need to perform 25-30 times, you can do three approaches for greater efficiency. There are two advanced options. The first is not to sink to the floor at the end of the exercise, but to hold the buttocks on the weight, and then raise them again, and so on 25-30 times. The second is to do the exercise with an emphasis on one leg (throw the second on the supporting knee). If possible, complications can be combined.

Video: glute bridge technique

Cat

Surely the cat exercise is also familiar to you. This is almost a pleasant sipping, which is also useful. It is performed simply: get on all fours, resting your knees and palms on the floor, exhale - round your back, stretch your spine up, lower your head and pull your stomach in as much as possible, inhale - raise your head, bend in the lower back and relax the press. The main thing is not to make sudden movements, everything should be smooth and in a calm rhythm. To begin with, do 10 times, gradually increasing the load. Enjoy this exercise: feel like a graceful and flexible cat, think that very soon your work will be rewarded, and you will get not only a flat stomach, but also toned hips, a healthy back, strong arms and self-confidence.

Video: cat exercise

Hoop

It's time to get the hoop, which, most likely, was lying around somewhere in your house. And if it is not lying around, then it is inexpensive. There is no need to purchase a heavy or so-called massage hoop - it will beat off your sides and will not affect diastasis. A simple metal one is enough. Spin it as much as you can: for example, in front of the TV or chatting with a friend on the phone. But do not relax: for the exercise to help, it is necessary to twist the hoop, consciously straining the press and pulling in the stomach, otherwise you will just have fun.

hyperextension

One of the classic exercises in the gym, which perfectly strengthens the lower back and buttocks, is hyperextension (tilts through the goat), however, with diastasis, direct hyperextension is contraindicated, and you will have to choose another exercise for the back. But there is good news, even two. Firstly, with diastasis, hyperextension on the floor has proven itself perfectly, since the stomach does not hang, but rests firmly on the floor. And secondly, to complete it, you don’t need to go to the gym or look for a “leg holder”, as with the classical one. Starting position - lying on your stomach, hands behind your head. Raise your shoulders and upper body as far as you can. If you want to further strengthen the buttocks, complete the exercise with a lower body lift (legs straight). Alternate: 10 lifts of the upper body, 10 lifts of the lower body, rest. Take your time, do everything slowly.

Hyperextension perfectly strengthens the muscular corset, so you can easily and naturally keep a royal posture.

Exercises with an expander

Resistance exercises are effective and require neither bulky equipment nor special skills. You will need the rubber expander itself, preferably with handles, but if you already have an elastic band without handles, you do not need to buy anything extra: make loops at the ends to hold on to them. One of the most effective exercises with the expander, which simultaneously engages the abs, muscles of the upper back and shoulders, as well as the hips. Attach the expander to something that will firmly hold it and you (something like a hook in the wall at chest level). Stand straight, legs together, arms extended forward, in the hands - the ends of the expander. Pull the expander as close to you as possible with your left hand and at the same time lift your left leg, bent at the knee, so that the thigh is parallel to the floor. Repeat 12 times and do the same with your right arm and leg. With a fixed elastic band - on a support or your own feet - you can lower the body back from a sitting position, overcoming the resistance of the expander - you can hold it with your hands or fix it on the body. However, remember that in this case, the back should be perfectly straight, and the shoulders turned, so as not to turn the exercise into twists, which are completely unnecessary for diastasis.

By the way, with the help of an elastic band or an elastic band, you can also complicate the glute bridge: put an elastic band on both legs just above the knees and spread your legs all the way. While raising the buttocks, hold the elastic band - this way you also use the muscles of the inner thigh.

One of the options for fixing the elastic band is to fix it on the feet

Video: five-minute exercises for diastasis

Forbidden exercises

Perhaps all the exercises listed above will not seem particularly difficult to you: they are performed without any problems, the press almost does not hurt, the stomach is pulled up slowly. Then there will be a temptation to return to the proven heavy exercises on the press - twisting on the floor and fitball, and even with weight, raising legs from a prone position, raising arms and legs simultaneously or alternately, side twists, etc. Unfortunately, isolated exercises are not effective in diastasis and can even lead to its increase, so the risk here is unjustified. And also, you should not do the classic plank and push-ups, abdominal inflation exercises, scissors and the usual version of a bicycle with raised shoulders. All this increases intra-abdominal pressure and, as a result, increases pressure on the abdominal muscles, which begin to diverge even more.

Myostimulation

What about myostimulation? The idea of ​​strengthening muscles literally lying on the couch seems very tempting. Let's figure it out. Myostimulation is a forced contraction of muscle fibers under the action of electrical impulses. At the same time, the muscles are stretched and twisted, which contributes to the expansion of the white line. Therefore, myostimulation and cavitation of the abdominal area should be abandoned. But do not worry - among the salon procedures there are also useful ones, for example, LPG-massage (vacuum-roller pulsating massage).

Sports with diastasis

It’s impossible, it’s impossible - what, now you have to quit sports? No way, especially if you like it. It will only be necessary to slightly adjust the training, taking into account your characteristics. For example, Pilates with diastasis is not only allowed, but also shown! After all, these are all the same static exercises and breathing. It is necessary to refuse twisting, which is contraindicated in diastasis. Also, do not forget that the classic plank and other similar racks will only slow down the path to a flat stomach with diastasis.

Yoga is the same static with breathing, and it will perfectly help with diastasis, as well as strengthen the overall muscle corset, improve posture and well-being. When choosing asanas, remember that you cannot inflate your stomach, twist and take poses with your tummy hanging down. Give up nauli (“churning” of the stomach), asanas that require balancing on the hands, all kinds of backbends without support, intense tossing of the legs, as well as asanas with emphasis or pressure on the white line (that’s what you have dispersed) like mayurasana.

With diastasis, asanas with an emphasis on the white line of the abdomen should be avoided.

Perhaps, over time, when the muscles become noticeably stronger, you will be able to return to most asanas - just do not make them basic. If you are a lover of strength training, be careful: lifting weights with diastasis can subsequently lead to a hernia. But this is not a reason to leave the hall. First, most lower body and arm exercises are available to you, especially on machines. Secondly, use a bandage to fix the abdominal muscles and prevent them from dispersing further. You should be careful with free weights: if you are doing something with dumbbells, barbells or plates, for example, on the biceps, rest against the wall to unload the abdominal muscles. But at first it’s better not to take free weight at all until the tone returns to the muscles - practice on blocks and hydraulic simulators. The body flex will also have to be modified, since it has a lot of exercises for the press with inflating the stomach: remove this element, as well as poses with the stomach hanging down, and train for health.

What about cardio like running or swimming? After all, it is cardio that helps to lose weight faster. Swimming is the ideal sport for almost any muscle problem. Recovery swimming will help burn calories and gently work out all the muscles without unnecessary strain and twisting. But be careful with running: jogging, for example, you can’t run. In general, it is better to replace running with intensive walking, but if you have already decided to run, start exercising with a good trainer and tell him about your problem.

Well, as we found out, diastasis can be dealt with, the main thing is constancy, and you can again put on your favorite swimsuit and boast of a slim figure. Practice every day for at least 5 minutes, and the result will definitely be. Remember that muscles are developed individually, and if one tummy tightens up in a month, then the other will have to work, say, for six months. But this is not scary, because exercises not only improve the figure, but also improve mood and strengthen the immune system - everything a young mother needs so much!