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The current trend in yoga classes to add “core work”, may be doing more harm than good for some students.
Movements that resemble crunches, bicycle sit-ups and even just slowly lowering down onto our back from sitting can aggravate a condition called diastases recti, something which is much more common than we might think.
Diastasis recti (also known as abdominal separation) is defined as a separation of the rectus abdominis muscle into right and left halves. When the connective tissue that is meant to be solid and thick becomes stretched, it thins and no longer holds the two sides of the abdominal wall together and there for no longer supports the organs or the back. It generally presents as a midline domed or bulging stomach when rising from a lying position.
Abdominal separation most commonly develops in women during pregnancy as the growing uterus presses out and separates the muscles of the abdomen. Diastis recti is extremely common, and almost every woman who has carried a child to full-term will have some degree of separation in the first year after giving birth and for many that separation can last the rest of their lives.
Men can also develop the condition, often caused by heavy lifting, weight lifting, sudden weight gain, etc. (In fact, Joseph Pilates had a diatisis recti that grew worse as he got older!)
While there is no way to completely avoid this during pregnancy it is the main reason why pregnant women should avoid poses like boat, deep backbends and even long-held plank poses.
In the first year after having a baby it is crucial that women do not do anything that engages or stretches the abdominal muscles in ways that further the separation.
This means when practicing yoga, avoid these poses:
• Boat pose
• Deep back bends
• Intense twists
• Lowering straight back to the floor from sitting
• All traditional core work
Women who have had a child anytime in their life and feel they may be at risk of having a diastases recti should consider following those same guidelines.
We have all heard one woman or another complain about how she has been working hard to get her flat stomach back after having kids, and she just isn’t seeing any results.
This is a sign that she may have diastasis recti and might actually be aggravating the condition by the types of exercises she is doing. Aside from the more superficial reasons to want to heal diatisis recti, if left untended, it can contribute to low back pain, pelvic floor problems, digestive issues and hernias.
I once overheard a teacher’s response to a student who shared that now that her baby was a few months old she was ready to work on getting her belly back. “Great!” The teacher said with a smile. “We will do lots of extra core work today!”
Sadly, the type of core work she was offering was only going to make things worse.
Now, don’t feel too bad if you have done something like this at some point in your teaching career. Without all of the information, most of us are just doing what we have been taught or what we think is best.
Years ago, before I knew about diastis recti, I used to teach traditional core work in all of my Post Natal classes! While I feel absolutely awful for the damage that may have been done to bellies of all of those mamas, I also realize that beating myself up about isn’t going to fix anything. That being said, now that we all know better, we have a responsibility to bring more awareness into how we offer core strengtheners in our classes.
If after reading this you are still drawn to the idea of leading traditional core work in your classes, consider offering a modification for women who have had babies anytime in the last few years.
There are many alternative core exercises that can strengthen the abdominal wall after pregnancy, and even help heal the abdominal separation. Otherwise, you could simply suggest that they skip the core work all together and take a few minutes in supta baddhakonasana or a mini-savasana. As a new mom they could probably use the extra rest anyway!
Here’s a quick self-test you can pass along to your students if they are wondering if they have any diastisis recti:
• Lie on your back with knees bent, feet resting on the floor.
• Place the index and middle fingers of one hand just above your belly button, pointing them downward.
• Raise your head and neck off the floor into a gentle crunch and feel for any separation between your muscles.
• If you can fit more than two fingers into the opening, you likely have a diastasis.
If this is all new to you, I know it can feel a little overwhelming. Our biggest concerns as yoga teachers in regards to diastases recti is to not cause further injury to your students. It is important that we remember to offer new moms an alternative to the kind of core work that could hurt them.
A well rounded asana practice will strengthen the core muscles in much less strenuous way.
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References:
1. Diastasis recti: How does pregnancy affect stomach muscles? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/
2. Diastasis Recti: How to properly train & strengthen your core for flat abs. Retrieved from http://www.dailyhiit.com/hiit-
3. Diastasis Recti Abdominis. Retrieved from http://www.coreconcepts.com.
4. Diastasis Recti Exercises: No More Mummy Tummy. Retrieved from https://www.udemy.com/blog/
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Author: Kirsten Warner
Editor: Emma Ruffin
Photo: Maria Ly/Flickr
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