Diastasis Recti Treatment

When the Gap Does Not Close on Its Own

Some abdominal separation after birth is normal and narrows by itself in the first weeks. When it does not, ordinary exercise, and especially the wrong exercise, can make it look and feel worse. The answer is not to push harder but to retrain the deep core muscles in the right order.

How to Tell If You Have Diastasis Recti

Common signs include:

• A visible gap or valley along the midline of your tummy
• A ridge or doming that appears when you sit up or strain
• A soft, bulging belly that does not respond to normal exercise
• A weak core, or a feeling that your middle lacks support
• Lower back pain or a sense of instability

A simple hands-on check during your assessment tells us how wide and how deep the separation is, which guides your programme.

Why the Abdominal Muscles Separate

The two halves of your outermost abdominal muscle are joined by a band of connective tissue called the linea alba. As your baby grows, this band stretches to make room, and the muscles move apart. In some women it stays stretched after birth. It can also develop from repeated heavy lifting with poor technique, or other causes of sustained pressure on the abdominal wall.

How Diastasis Recti Is Assessed

We confirm and measure the separation rather than judge it by appearance. Your assessment usually includes:

• A hands-on check of the width and depth of the gap along your midline
• Watching for doming or bulging when you gently tense your core
• Checking how your deep core and pelvic floor work together
• Ruling out other causes of a bulge where needed

A gentle finger-width self-check at home can give you a rough idea, but it is a starting point, not a diagnosis. The hands-on check tells us how firm the tissue is, not just how wide the gap is.

Our Treatment Approach

Safe First Exercises, and What to Avoid

These deep-core exercises are a common, gentle starting point. They are general guidance rather than a diagnosis, so build up slowly and stop anything that makes your tummy dome or bulge.

For now, avoid traditional crunches, sit-ups, full planks, and heavy lifting, which can widen the gap. We reintroduce these safely once your core is ready.

The Difference Guided Rehab Makes

A flatter, stronger, more functional core. A tummy that feels supported rather than weak. Less back pain. And the confidence to return to exercise knowing you are not making things worse.

Do You Need Surgery for Diastasis Recti?

For most women, guided exercise is the first-line approach and can meaningfully reduce the separation and restore core strength. Surgery is usually considered only for a very large gap, an associated hernia, or symptoms that do not respond to a proper rehabilitation programme. We will assess you honestly and, if a surgical opinion is worth exploring, help you seek one.

How Long Recovery Takes

Diastasis recti improves gradually, usually over a few months of consistent work, and progress is measured by both function and the width of the gap, not by appearance alone. Results vary from person to person, and we will set realistic expectations after assessing you rather than promise a fixed outcome.

Keeping Your Core Strong Afterwards

To protect your progress:

• Keep training the deep core, not just the surface muscles
• Use good lifting technique and breathe out as you lift
• Reintroduce demanding core exercises gradually
• Manage constipation and avoid repeated straining

When to check with your doctor. See a doctor promptly if you notice a firm, painful, or growing bulge, or a lump that does not go back in, as this can suggest a hernia rather than a simple separation.