Does My Diastasis Need Physical Therapy?

Does my Diastasis need Physical Therapy?

The answer is it depends. Don’t you hate that!

I would like to see everyone postpartum, but since I don’t practice in France, we know that is not going to happen. So I will give you a brief qualification on who may and may not benefit from a visit to a board certified women’s health specialist (or pelvic floor specialist for short).

Every woman will have a 1-2 cm DR during the late stage of pregnancy. This should resolve within 8 weeks and definitely shouldn’t last more than a year (get stats and quotes). The optimal time to get treated would be soon after that postpartum check up at 6 weeks for the optimal recovery.

Here is how you check for a diastasis. You will place your fingers just below your bellybutton and then crunch up. If you have a DR you may see a bulge (or dome) or you may feel your fingers drop into a space. You would repeat this process at your belly button and above your belly button.

Check out Gina’s video to see if you have a diastasis.

Every woman is different, but you need to work exercises from simplest to hardest to get the diastasis to resolve. So full planks and 6” should NOT be your go to exercises. Start with just breathing.

I will say it again and again. Breathing is one of our best starting exercises and will help you be successful with all progressive exercises. On the inhale, the abdomen will bulge and on the exhale, just gently draw your waist in.