Diastasis recti, a common condition characterized by the separation of the abdominal muscles, often affects women post-pregnancy but can also be present in men. Addressing this issue requires a specialized approach to physiotherapy, particularly focusing on the pelvic floor. Pelvic floor physiotherapy in Grande Prairie offers targeted treatments that not only aid in the recovery from diastasis recti but also bolster overall pelvic health.
This type of therapy, part of broader women’s health physiotherapy and increasingly recognized in male pelvic floor physiotherapy, involves exercises and techniques that strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, support abdominal muscle healing, and improve core stability.
Understanding Diastasis Recti
- What is Diastasis Recti?: It denotes the parting of the rectus abdominis muscles, prominent vertical muscles situated in the abdominal region. The connective tissue (linea alba) joining these muscles stretches and thins, causing them to move apart.
- Common Causes: Pregnancy is the most prevalent cause due to the pressure placed on the abdominal wall by the growing uterus. Factors such as excessive abdominal exercises, obesity, and multiple pregnancies can also contribute to the development of diastasis recti.
- Physical Symptoms: A bulge or “pooch” in the stomach will appear, especially when straining or contracting the abdominal muscles.
- Functional Implications: Weakness in the abdominal area can lead to lower back pain, poor posture, pelvic floor dysfunctions, and complications in subsequent pregnancies.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy in Diastasis Recti Recovery
Core and Pelvic Floor Muscle Strengthening
Objectives
- Integrated Muscle Strengthening: Strengthening the core and pelvic floor creates a muscular sling across the abdomen, which supports the healing of the linea alba, the tissue stretched during diastasis recti.
- Support and Stability: Enhanced stability around the core and pelvic region helps improve posture and reduce the risk of exacerbating the abdominal separation.
Techniques and Exercises
- Transverse Abdominal Activations: Often referred to as the “corset muscle,” the transverse abdominis is crucial for trunk stability. Activations are performed by drawing the belly button inward and upward toward the spine while maintaining normal breathing. This exercise can be integrated into various daily activities, gradually increasing the hold time to build endurance.
- Pelvic Tilts: This exercise helps stabilize the lower back and strengthen the core, which is supportive of the abdominal muscles affected by diastasis recti. Executing pelvic tilts involves lying on the back with knees bent, flattening the back against the floor by contracting the abdominal muscles, and then relaxing to return to the starting position.
- Kegel Exercises: Essential for strengthening the pelvic floor, which supports abdominal organs and works in conjunction with the transverse abdominis to stabilize the core. Effective Kegels are performed by tightening the muscles to halt urination, holding the contraction for a few seconds, and then releasing.
Postural Training and Body Mechanics
Objectives
- Minimize Strain: Proper posture minimizes the strain on the abdominal muscles, which is essential for the healing process of diastasis recti.
- Activity-Specific Guidance: Patients receive customized advice tailored to their lifestyle, which helps them apply the principles of safe movement in their day-to-day activities.
Techniques
- Postural Assessments and Corrections: Physiotherapists assess patients’ posture and provide specific corrections to ensure that daily activities do not aggravate the diastasis recti. Patients learn how to engage their core properly during standing, sitting, and transitional movements.
- Functional Movements Training: Involves the practical application of core and pelvic floor strength during activities that are part of daily routines, such as picking up children, grocery shopping, or performing job-related tasks. This training helps integrate strength into functional movements, reducing strain on the abdominal separation.
Integration with Other Therapeutic Approaches
Manual Therapy
- Soft Tissue Mobilization: This involves specific techniques where the physiotherapist applies manual pressure and movement to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the abdomen and lower back. The goal is to release tension, break down adhesions, and stimulate blood flow to the affected areas.
- Applications: This can include kneading, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy. These techniques are not only soothing but also increase the elasticity of muscle and connective tissues, which is crucial for reducing tightness and pain.
Breathing Exercises
- Diaphragmatic Breathing: This technique teaches patients to engage their diaphragm during inhalation actively, which encourages a fuller, more efficient breathing pattern. Proper diaphragmatic breathing helps stabilize the core and supports the pelvic floor muscles by modulating intra-abdominal pressure.
- Applications: Exercises might involve the patient lying on their back with one hand on the upper chest and the other just beneath the rib cage, learning to breathe deeply so that the diaphragm pushes the lower hand up while the chest remains relatively still.
Pelvic floor physiotherapy in Grande Prairie offers a robust and multidimensional approach to recovery from diastasis recti, targeting the physical disabilities and restrictions in functionality linked with the condition.
Strengthening Core Recovery
In summary, addressing diastasis recti through pelvic floor physiotherapy in Grande Prairie provides an effective pathway to recovery, supporting not only the healing of abdominal separation but also enhancing pelvic health. Junction Point Physical Therapy in Grande Prairie offers specialized pelvic health physiotherapy programs tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals experiencing diastasis recti. These programs, along with vaginal floor therapy, focus on strengthening the core, improving pelvic stability, and promoting overall physical wellness.
If you’re seeking assistance to overcome diastasis recti, do not hesitate to contact us. Call +1(587)-803-1571 to schedule a consultation, or visit www.junctionpointphysio.com to learn more about how pelvic floor physiotherapy can aid your rehabilitation and help you return to full health.
