Useful exercises for diastasis sooner or later begin to interest many women who have happened to become mothers. The word denotes the state of separation of the muscles that form the abdomen. Most often this is observed after bearing a child. The best way to combat the condition is to strengthen muscle tissue. You can draw in your stomach, you can resort to the exercises developed by Kegel. Consider the topic in more detail.
Question Features
With diastasis, the exercises that are most useful for a woman are pelvic inclinations, deep breathing. The task of a person is to strengthen the body, to make more powerful the transverse muscles that form the abdominal wall. Recommended back plate. The plank from a standing position will benefit. But twisting can worsen the condition. Do not bend the body and make other similar positions.
You should not assume that the problem of a protruded abdomen is observed in several people - in fact, such a condition worries an impressive percentage of mothers. This is a really common problem. That is why diastasis even received an unofficial name for "tummy tummy." It is observed on average in 40% of women who have given birth to a child. Weeks and months pass, half a year after the birth can take place, and the woman still seems pregnant from the side.
Anatomy and features
In the peritoneum there are many vital organs. Their anatomically correct position is due to the power of the muscle press. If the tissues weaken, which is most often observed in pregnant women, the white tissue also weakens. Exercises that help with diastasis are also necessary for women who delivered the fetus against the background of numerous changes that occur under the influence of hormonal levels. During gestation, estrogen, progesterone, and relaxin are actively generated. The influence of these substances is such that the muscles weaken even more.
For many, diastasis disappears on its own. Others can be seen for weeks and months. Muscle tissue can span 2.5 cm and a greater distance. At the same time, the woman visually looks pregnant. Diastasis is not only unpleasant in appearance and reduces the self-esteem of a woman, but also harmful to health. Due to the improper state of the muscles, posture worsens, the body weakens, the back is less mobile, not so stable. Lumbar pain, navel hernia, soreness of intimate contact, urinary incontinence are possible.
What to do?
In order to solve the indicated problem in the period after childbirth, it is necessary to develop special practices designed to combat diastasis. Exercises that are useful for a particular case will be determined by the attending physician. You can not practice the lessons yourself, without first contacting your doctor. In a number of conditions, it is strictly prohibited to engage. Particular care must be taken by women who have had a cesarean section.
Diastasis can be suspected already during the bearing of the child. With this assumption, you need to see a doctor. The physiotherapist will evaluate the condition of the muscles and tell you how to adjust your daily routine before giving birth so that the risks and negative consequences are minimal.
If the condition is very serious, no exercises recommended in the general case for diastasis for the abdomen will help the woman and, moreover, are contraindicated. The doctor, having studied the condition of the tissues, can advise an emergency operation.
Relevance of exercise
However, despite a number of limitations and inefficiency in some cases, usually exercises are the simplest and most reliable method of correcting the existing problem. Most recommend abdominal exercises that eliminate surgical intervention. It is noted that physical practices are a reliable solution to a problem at any time of its appearance. A woman can take care of the beauty and health of her abdomen, barely having to bear a childbirth, but she can return to a troubling question later - after months and even years. Strong muscle tissue of the peritoneum guarantees stability to the body, so it is never too late to start exercising. Exercise helps young and not so women. Practices are quite short-term, do not require special efforts, do not force to buy expensive equipment.
Retract the tummy!
Only a doctor will say in a particular case, evaluating diastasis, which exercises can be done and which are not worth it, and even harmful. Most are advised to have a fairly simple option for retracting the abdomen. Biking, torso lifting, twisting - these are classic ways to pump up the press, which are prohibited during diastasis, as they can worsen the condition of a woman. The best alternative would be retraction - a fairly simple, but surprisingly effective exercise, in which the muscles supporting the body become more stable, the transverse muscles are strengthened, and the tissue tone grows. Gymnastics specialists note: this format of classes is the basis for most other effective exercises. It is he who in many ways allows a woman to avoid surgery.
The exercise is quite simple, performed in a supine position. Having taken a pose, bend your knees. During practice, you need to control your breathing so that it is even, calm. Below the navel, the abdomen is pulled in so that it feels as if it is “stuck” to the spinal column. You do not need to hold your breath. The entire abdomen is not required to retract. The practitioner's task is to activate only the lower part of this area of the body. The duration of the posture is from 10 seconds to three times as long. It is recommended to do three sets of ten repetitions. Having mastered this exercise, you can resort to it when a woman is standing, sitting, holding a child.
Kegel exercises
Choosing what exercises to do with diastasis, it is worth taking a closer look at this popular version of the practice, effective for problems with the muscle corset in the abdomen. Such exercises can get rid of many health troubles. They are especially good if worried about urinary incontinence, significantly improve the quality of life of a woman experiencing discomfort during intimate contact. A fairly simple movement involves the contraction of the pelvic muscles that control the bottom of the zone, strengthens the peritoneum.
It is more convenient to perform the exercise in a supine position. During classes you need to breathe normally. The woman’s task is to activate the muscles of the contractile backs of the walls, the bottom of the pelvis (front, back). To understand where these muscles are located, they imagine that urine must be held up. The muscles tensed at the same time are the ones that need to be trained. The duration of the stress state is 10 seconds. Three times daily it is recommended to repeat this exercise 20 times. When it is possible to master it, it will be possible to accelerate the approaches, for only a second, reducing and immediately relaxing the muscles. Such an exercise can be practiced in any position, regardless of the time of day.
Pelvic slopes
There are so many practices that others claim to help with stomach diastasis after childbirth. Exercises are known and those that have been tested over the years, and those that are considered new. Choosing your option, you need to critically evaluate the promises of the program. There are cases when widely publicized programs promised women absolute healing in just a few weeks, in fact only making a person worse. There are even cases when official medical commissions and associations published printed materials on the refutation of the statements of the authors of such programs. However, this has nothing to do with pelvic tilt. Such exercises are one of the main ones in Pilates, yoga. Practice is aimed at strengthening the transverse muscles. The practitioner's task is to focus on the pelvic muscles in order to activate the gluteal areas.
Recommended for diastasis of the abdomen, an exercise that shows a good effect after childbirth begins from a horizontal position. Need to lie on your back. The limbs are bent at the knees, palms pointing down. The upper limbs are laid on the lower block of the abdomen, straining muscle tissue here. They track breathing so that it is even, calm. The pelvis is tilted up until the lower back lies on the floor plane. The shoulders relax during the whole session. The duration of maintaining the top position is 10 seconds. Then the pelvis is relaxed. One approach is five repetitions.
Standing bar
Such an exercise for diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles is necessary to make the tissues stronger. The condition under consideration imposes a number of restrictions on the possibility of physical exertion. In particular, the traditional plank is strictly prohibited, since it is possible to worsen the condition of already unhealthy tissues. Experts have developed an improvement that allows you to make the bar so as to get rid of diastasis. To do this, you need to engage in an upright position. The task of man is to lean against the wall.
Starting pose - standing facing the wall. Palms rest on the surface, straightening the upper limbs, shoulders. Then they strain the abs, pulling in the stomach so that the navel seems to “stick” to the spinal column. Maintain normal breathing.
You must repeat this exercise ten times. First, the practitioner's task is to maintain a posture of at least ten seconds while keeping muscle tissue tense. If you can easily practice in this format, it makes sense to complicate the lesson a bit: it includes push-ups from the supporting surface.
Back strap
When choosing which exercises for diastasis to include in your practice cycle in the first place, you should take a closer look at this reliable option. The back strap strengthens the muscular corset of the body. This exercise is well known to yoga enthusiasts: as part of such activities, it is called purvottanasana. It is good because it has a positive effect on the back.
Starting position - horizontal, on the back. The legs are bred to the width of the thigh, the feet rest on the surface so that the legs are looking forward, and the upper limbs are pulled along the body. Inhaling, the hips slowly tear off the floor. Exhaling, torso is torn from the surface, while unfolding the sternum. Then air is slowly released. The optimal posture preservation time is five breaths to begin with. Gradually, it is necessary to increase the duration. Reasonable upper bound - two dozen breaths.
Deep breathing
Another exercise recommended for diastasis for the abdomen is diaphragmatic breathing. He is advised to everyone who is faced with the problem of muscle relaxation, but most of all it is useful for women who have already endured one child, learned by themselves what diastasis is, and plan to conceive a second baby. Diaphragmatic breathing reduces the likelihood of muscle separation with new gestation. It is impossible to overestimate such activities, because due to diastasis the supporting function of the body is weakened, and this harms both the back and all internal organs. If the uterus does not have sufficient support, the risk of complicated birth is increased. Properly performed deep breathing can reduce such dangers and tone the muscular skeleton of the peritoneum. At the same time, the rhythm of the contractions of the heart improves, the pressure decreases, and stress disappears.
A fairly simple breathing exercise for diastasis of the abdominal muscles is done in a sitting or horizontal position. In the first case, you must select a flat, even surface for sitting on which you can cross your legs. If you decide to lie, then pre-spread gymnastic foam. The woman’s task is to draw in the air as deep as possible so that there is a feeling of maximum filling of the peritoneum, sternum. Then the air is released slowly, gradually, with tension of the abdominal press. It is recommended to repeat this a dozen times. On the day of such approaches should be done at least three.
About the belt
In order for exercises with rectal diastasis to be as effective as possible, it is reasonable to use a special belt. Physiotherapists advise that any physical exercise be performed only with a previously secured reliable belt. Some training programs indicate its presence as a basic condition. The value of the belt cannot be overestimated, since such a product allows you to strengthen the muscle press while eliminating bulging. The belt makes any practice more effective to get rid of stretching the white line. During classes, it simplifies control of lower back loads.
To use the belt correctly, it is recommended to consult a physiotherapist. The doctor will not only select the exercises suitable for the woman with muscle diastasis, but also tell you which product she needs so that the physical exercises are as useful as possible. However, in fairness, I must mention: there have been no specialized studies that could confirm the effectiveness of using the belt. If you check with your trainer or doctor, such specialists will probably advise you to use a convenient accessory, but you should be aware that only wearing the product will not be a "source of miracles."
About the nuances
When planning to practice abdominal exercises with diastasis using a special belt, you need to choose and configure it correctly. Much depends on the individual characteristics of the body structure. The most reliable option is to contact an experienced trainer or doctor. The doctor will explain how to use the belt correctly, since improper wearing can harm a person. Having debugged the product in accordance with the characteristics of your body, you can quickly restore the normal appearance of the body and strengthen muscle tissue.
When practicing, it is important to track your posture. It will not be superfluous to control the position of the spinal column in everyday life. A woman recovering her health after childbirth should rest adequately. In her life there is no place for heavy loads. Not observing these restrictions, one does not have to rely on the effectiveness of exercises on the press with diastasis. Moreover, the condition, even with regular classes, can become noticeably worse if the lifestyle is unhealthy, and the stress in everyday life is excessive.
Is it possible or not?
Some exercises for diastasis of the rectus muscles are categorically not recommended. If a woman prefers to practice yoga, it is necessary to evaluate which of the classes force to stretch the muscle tissue of the body. Weight they are prohibited in case of diastasis. You can’t do those exercises for which the main position is horizontally on the fitball on the back. Raising the legs from a horizontal position, as well as lifting the body from a similar pose, is prohibited. Before pregnancy, some practice the exercise "vacuum." In the case of diastasis, it can not be done. It is strictly forbidden to lift, carry heavy objects. You can not do such exercises that require a person to bend in the lower back. You can not engage in the press, if a particular practice requires raising, lowering the legs.
Kor
This useful exercise for diastasis of the rectus muscles is known by the alternative name "back bridge". Starting position - horizontal on the back. The legs are bent at the knees, the feet placed on the floor surface. During the deflection, you can not bend your back, it is forbidden to bend the stomach so that it becomes arched. The pelvis is raised until a straight line with the body is formed. The highest position is maintained for about 10 seconds, after which the pelvis is slowly lowered, relaxing muscle tissue. You need to repeat the exercise five times. It is recommended to do two approaches daily: in the morning, in the evening. Duration - at least two weeks.
Incomplete Twisting
Such an exercise in diastasis after childbirth begins to be performed from the start position: horizontal position on the back on a special mat for gymnastics. The head is lifted, the upper back area is torn off the surface, slightly rounding. The upper limbs are kept straight and stretched to the knees, straining the muscle tissue of the press. No special dynamic movements are needed. The maximum tense position is maintained for 10 seconds, after which they relax the muscles and give themselves a little rest. Five consecutive approaches are recommended. The minimum duration of the course of exercises is a couple of weeks. For a shorter period, no improvement can simply be seen.
Program approach
You can practice a course of exercises for diastasis after childbirth, but only if the doctor approves this approach.The choice of duration and saturation of the course is determined by the degree of progress of the condition. The first week of gymnastics is aimed at the activation of deep muscle tissue. In addition to supporting the torso, it is important to regularly give yourself a cardiac load in order to normalize the condition of the heart, blood vessels, and prepare them for further stress. If the course is selected by an experienced specialist, he will certainly advise for the first week of exercise that activate the muscles of the shoulder girdle.
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The fifth week involves the implementation of the main training with the inclusion of the exercise "vacuum". The trainer adapts it to the needs of the body with diastasis, taking into account the workouts already received and the progress of the condition. Next week, they additionally adapt muscle tissue to a greater load and determine which areas of the body are the most problematic in order to further begin working with it. At the seventh week, it is necessary to include in the list of classes those that improve the condition of the back, at the eighth add a bar to everyday life. The ninth week is dedicated to closing the diastasis.
Features of the course practice
All of these exercises in a full course are allowed for those who have diastasis - the first stage. In the case of the second degree of the process, most of such gymnastics will also benefit. Begin to engage in six months after cesarean section or a month after the natural release of the burden. The described scheme is recommended if there are no hernias. If the degree of diastasis is third, the first stage (described as the first week) is prolonged until the condition improves to the second degree, and better to the first.
Conventionally, the entire range of classes is divided into two steps. First you need to create a normal exercise regimen. Only after this they proceed to the second step, which involves relatively intensive exercises.
Will it help?
There are many reviews of various exercises. Persons involved in the supervision of the trainer are usually satisfied with the result. Women who choose gymnastics without the advice of a doctor are often not too satisfied with the results. Among those who worked without professional control, there are more women who did not get rid of diastasis. But practicing exercises under the supervision of professionals almost always managed to overcome the problem.