For women, beauty is as important as health, so any illness that does not have the best effect on appearance, brings a lot of negative emotions to the fairer sex. One of the most unpleasant diagnoses that a woman can hear after giving birth is a diastasis of the rectus abdominal muscles. This problem is quite tangible can spoil the everyday life of young mothers. Therefore, it is worth digging into its study.
The essence of the problem
With regard to such a topic as diastase of rectus abdominal muscles after childbirth, it is worth noting that this is a fairly common complication. For women who have had labor, a similar diagnosis is made in approximately 40% of cases.
Diastase itself is nothing but an extension of the white line of the abdomen. If to speak easier, under the certain pressure during sorts direct muscles of a stomach or belly are literally separated from each other. Sometimes the distal distance can reach 10 cm, although the norm is 0.5-2 cm. This problem, pertaining to the perinatal period, is very urgent and develops precisely in the upper part.
How to recognize the diastase
The expansion of the abdominal muscles, as a rule, develops on the background of pregnancy and becomes noticeable 2-3 months after birth. When the normal background changes, the connective tissue becomes more loose, as this is necessary to create the necessary conditions for labor activity.
The diastase of the rectus abdominal muscles is fairly simple: firstly, it is a palpable cosmetic defect associated with protrusion in the abdomen. Although it is not uncommon for women to lead an active lifestyle after childbirth and not to notice negative changes. In this condition, the diastasis of the rectus abdominal muscles may not have obvious signs, but it will develop, remaining invisible.
The fact that the muscles are separated from each other, can indicate unpleasant sensations, a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, as well as belching, constipation and difficult walking. If it happened that you have to deal with a large diastase, then the following fact should be taken into account: such a defect will lead to pronounced functional disorders. These are:
- decreased contractility of the muscles of the abdominal wall;
- development of abdominal muscle atrophy;
- dilatation of aponeuroses, and also their thinning;
- weakening of the function of the abdominal press.
With regard to the nature of pain, it can differ significantly both in the duration of the attack and in strength.
Anatomical features of the anterior abdominal wall
The diastase of the rectus abdominal muscles after childbirth is a disease that becomes clear only after studying the basics of the structure of the abdominal wall. It is known that on both sides of the white line are paired straight muscles, enclosed in a dense case( consists of three broad lateral muscles and tendon dilations, they are also aponeuroses).
Directly the white line itself begins at the xiphoid process of the sternum and stretches to the pubic symphysis. In fact, this connection is an aponeurism of the wide abdominal muscles. Wide at the top( 2-2.5 cm) the white line narrows in its lower part. In the event that connective tissue( aponeurism) has an inherent weakness, due to the loads received during labor, diastasis may develop.
Diagnosis
What does it take to determine the diastase of the rectus muscles after delivery? Signs that carry painful feelings can appear much later, so you do not have to wait for them. To identify the discrepancy, it is necessary to pay attention to that part of the peritoneal wall, which is located in the middle between the xiphoid process of the sternum and the navel.
This will help the tested test, which is easy to perform on its own: it is necessary to lie down, while the feet should be pressed to the floor, and the legs are bent at the knees. Further it is necessary to put one hand under the head, and the other on the stomach and do it in such a way that each finger is located perpendicular to the white line in the navel area. When everything is done, it is necessary to completely relax the stomach, then gently immerse the fingers into it.
After this, the shoulders and chest should be raised, as during the performance of the classic exercise for the press. The next thing to do is to start moving your fingertips along the white line. Thus, you can grope the edges of the direct medial muscles, feel their discrepancy( if any), and also measure its width.
The diastase of the rectus abdominal muscles after childbirth can be divided into 3 main stages:
- the first: characterized by a discrepancy of 5 to 7 cm;
- the second: it means more than 7 cm of distance;
- the third stage is considered a large diastasis and inevitably leads to a stiff belly.
In order to make a competent prognosis of the disease, it is necessary to assess the condition of the abdominal wall in an individual manner.
How to treat muscle discrepancy
Diastasis of straight abdominal muscles after childbirth is a serious enough problem, therefore it is impossible to ignore it, letting the situation take its course. This fact is confirmed by the fact that the expansion does not go on independently and without appropriate treatment is constantly progressing.
With this, the good news is that this kind of impact on the disease, like surgery, is not always topical. There are less radical methods of treating such a problem as diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to neutralize attenuation without surgical intervention. Doctors recommend this way of recovery to patients who have the disease in the initial stage.
But the complex of exercises and the scheme of studies as a whole should be selected only by an experienced instructor who will take into account all the individual characteristics of the condition of the particular patient in the postpartum period. It is worth to clarify that therapeutic exercise will give the desired effect only in the case when the diastase is in the initial stage. Then the press will quickly become stronger and the tension will be neutralized.
If you have to deal with a far-reaching stage of distance, then it makes sense to think about the operation. The goal of surgical intervention is the elimination of diastasis and the qualitative strengthening of the problem area.
Diastase of the rectus abdominis: exercises, feedbacks
If this happens, that during the diagnosis was found a stretching of the connective tissue, then the exercises should be given special attention. Already at the first time after giving birth, women can afford to perform certain types of physical activity. This can be, for example, the so-called cat posture, whose goal is to strengthen the press. Actual can also be considered Kegel exercises. Attention should be paid to the rotation of the shoulders, static stretching and breathing belly. If you focus on the opinion of doctors( and so it is worth doing), then the most favorable period for starting training will be time after 6 weeks. There is another nuance that should be taken into account in such a problem as the diastase of the rectus abdominal muscles after delivery: the caesarean section( if it took place) disrupts the tissue structure. Therefore, with such births, you can only do it after 10-12 weeks from the day the baby was born.
Do you have a diastasis of direct abdominal muscles after delivery? What is it and how to treat such a pathology? To answer these questions, it is worth paying attention to the testimonies of those who applied specific methods of treatment. If we study the opinions of women who have encountered such a problem, then we can conclude that in most cases the discrepancy is normalized through stable exercises. The main thing is not to be lazy and do it the way you need it. As for more severe cases, an endoscopic technique that has repeatedly proved its effectiveness has been increasingly used to restore the normal state. In any case, such a problem, as a diastasis of the rectus abdominal muscles after childbirth, treatment means an exceptionally competent one. Therefore, one of the main tasks is to find a good doctor.
Important features of exercise therapy
For women who were forced to face such an unpleasant diagnosis as a diastasis of straight abdominal muscles after childbirth, exercises can give the maximum result if the process is approached competently. First of all, during the lessons you should pay attention to breathing. It is important when performing each of the exercises before any force movement to properly draw the belly. To make this happen naturally, you can take the child's hands. In this case, the deepest transverse abdominal muscles are involved, which encircle the torso and act as a corset.
It is through the competent load on this complex of muscles that you can make the abdomen even while protecting the spine. As for the breathing itself, for the right technique it is necessary to imagine that the transverse muscles function as an elevator. The next thing to do is to take a deep breath through your nose, inflating your stomach and filling the lungs with air. Exhalation is worth doing through the mouth, and during devastation imagine that the muscles are rising up. This is the position of the longitudinal muscles and should be maintained during the performance of strength exercises. For those who are concerned with the issue of "Diastase of the rectus abdominis muscles - how to remove stretching?", Similar techniques are very relevant.
Kinds of Operations
In order to have an effective effect on a problem such as a diastasis of the rectus muscles after childbirth, which is in a neglected stage, surgical treatment is applied.
There are several types of surgical interventions used in modern medicine to neutralize the stretching of the white line:
- Non-stretch plastic with the use of a reticular endoprosthesis. With a mesh made of synthetic material and fixed at the edges, the problem area is completely covered. As a result, an interesting process takes place: the connective tissue sprouts into the mesh( 1-1.5 months), resulting in a whole anatomical complex. After a while, it becomes a strong connective woven construction( 2 mm thick), which is not afraid of more than tangible loads.
- Stretch plastic with local fabrics. In this case, the surgeon creates a design consisting of the tissues of the anterior abdominal wall.
In the conditions of current medicine, such operations can be performed by an open method, or by using endoscopic techniques( without incisions).It should be noted that endoscopic hernioplasty is one of the safest and most effective methods of eliminating such pathology as diastasis of the rectus abdominal muscles after childbirth. Treatment performed with this technique has a number of notable advantages:
- there are no visible scars;
- the risk of re-development of the disease is reduced to a minimum( no more than 1%);
- the rehabilitation period is much shorter than in the case of an open-type operation;
- no pain syndrome.
The availability of modern equipment in hospitals and clinics allows performing such operations with a high level of accuracy. Therefore, in the process of combating such a problem as diastase of the rectus abdominal muscles after birth, surgery is one of the most effective solutions.
Recovery period after surgical intervention
If we consider this type of treatment for stretching connective tissue, like stretch plastic, it makes sense to talk about a longer period of rehabilitation after surgery. At this time, women are strictly forbidden to lift any objects heavier than 10 kg. In addition, during the first three months of recovery will have to go in for sports, of course, in moderate form. To do this, it is necessary to study in detail recommended for such problem as diastase of the rectus muscles, exercises, and, of course, consult a qualified doctor. It is also worth considering the fact that for a considerable period of time the patient will be disabled.
But if minimally invasive technique was used to eliminate diastase, a woman can easily get up from bed on the first day. However, you will need to wear a special bandage, which will have to be tolerated within a month. Another good news is that after a minimally invasive surgery the patient is allowed to leave the clinic the next day. It is recommended to think about permanent physical exertion after 14 days from the date of the operation. And after 4-5 weeks you can return to the usual way of life.
Methods of Correction and Prevention
If you carefully study such issues as diastase of the rectus abdominal muscles after childbirth, treatment, reviews about it and possible consequences, you can make a simple conclusion: if possible, this diagnosis is better not to admit. On the forums there are many reports from women concerned about this problem. Therefore, during pregnancy( and, best of all, before it), it is worth paying attention to the exercises aimed at strengthening the diaphragm, deep back muscles, all the muscles of the pelvic floor press and musculature. As a result, optimal intra-abdominal pressure will be achieved, and the lumbar spine will stabilize.
In search of an answer to the question: "Diastase of the rectus abdominis muscles, how to remove?"(reviews confirm this) it is important not to forget about those exercises that develop the elasticity and flexibility of the anterior abdominal wall. Another important complex is a block of movements that have a strengthening effect on the pelvic floor musculature, which in turn performs the function of supporting the organs and prevents their displacement in case of increased intra-abdominal pressure.
Thus, the best way to avoid muscle discrepancies is regular exercise before pregnancy. There are many systems that offer effective and safe exercises that can strengthen the press and prevent weakening of connective tissues. But if the unpleasant diagnosis does manifest itself, then do not despair, stable training after childbirth and competent doctor help will help neutralize the problem.