Everybody is susceptible to the disorder known as rectus diastasis. Because your abdominal muscles may separate to make room for your developing kid, it is most prevalent during pregnancy.
One of the top questions regarding diastasis recti is, is diastasis recti painful?
For starters, diastasis recti happens when the muscles along your abdominal abs separate partially or fully.
It is most common during pregnancy because the abdomen stretches as the baby grows to create more room for the uterus.
However, DR can also happen in non-pregnancy-related issues, like in men and newborns.
For instance, in some men, it can occur when one lifts heavy weights improperly.
Well, look no further. Parental Questions is here to give you all the needed answers.
How Does Diastasis Recti Feel?
Are you wondering how does diastasis recti feel?
While theoretically, you might know diastasis recti is the separation of your abs, it is understandable to wonder how it feels.
The best way to find out is to feel it with your fingers.
Place your hand around your belly button. You can place it either below or above the belly button. Then, try to fit a finger or two within the space on your abs.
How does it feel?
Is Diastasis Recti Painful?
Sadly, diastasis recti can cause pain. The issue is actually not the separate abs muscles.
However, the effects of this muscle separation are what causes pain. The pain could start while one is still pregnant or postpartum.
It all varies between individuals. However, the most common pain is:
- Hip pain
- Pelvic pain
- Lower back pain
- Sexual pain
Apart from the above, you can also watch out for other symptoms like:
- Feeling flabby on the abdominal muscles
- Visible separation of the muscles on your abs
- Problem with bowel movements, including leakage, incontinence, and constipation
- Weakness on the midsection
- Poor posture
1. What Helps Diastasis Recti Pain?
Is diastasis recti pain getting unbearable and affecting your days?
While you might think painkillers are the best option to go for, we recommend consulting a physical therapist first.
Your physical therapist will examine how severe your diastasis recti is, the pain and offer you the best treatment cause.
Nevertheless, there are noninvasive treatment options that can help ease the pain.
The first, of course, is working with a physical therapist to strengthen your core muscles. You can also start using a belly band or a supportive binder.
This provides your back with extra support, relieving the pressure and excess weight from diastasis recti.
2. When Is Diastasis Recti Severe?
Remember the method you used to test how diastasis recti feel?
This is also an excellent way to determine whether you have diastasis recti if you don’t have a proper diagnosis.
If you can fit one or two fingers within that space, you have a moderate case.
But, if you can fit three or more fingers, you have a severe case of diastasis recti. In that case, we recommend seeking medical attention from a qualified physical therapist.
3. Does Diastasis Recti Cause Complications?
DR can lead to more than pain on your pelvic, hip, and lower back when left untreated. It can lead to:
- Damage to your posture
- Endanger truck mobility and stability
- Cause bowel movement problems
- Hernia, especially when having severe DR
4. Can You Treat Diastasis Recti
Luckily, there is something you can do to treat diastasis recti. Working with a physical therapist is the best option.
This will include several workout routines to strengthen your core muscles and reduce DR. some of the workout routines include:
- Planks
- Dynamic lunge stretches
- Crunches
- Glute bridges
Whether through exercise or surgery, the best way to treat diastasis recti is to work with a professional.
It ensures you get the proper treatment method that suits your condition.
Also read some related posts:
Is diastasis recti painful? Yes, it is painful for most people.
However, it is not the separation of the muscles that hurt. The effects of the separation are what cause the pain on the hip, pelvic, and lower back.
That’s because these areas carry extra weight than they should. Exercising and using a supportive binder can help ease the pain and close the gap.
If the pain persists, seek immediate medical attention.
Iesha is a loving mother of 2 beautiful children. She’s an active parent who enjoys indoor and outdoor adventures with her family. Her mission is to share practical and realistic parenting advice to help the parenting community becoming stronger.
