Abdominal Muscle Separation
Perfomance Plus Womens Health Practice is situated in Waverley. Their Physiotherapist Samara Nanayakkana discusses abdominal muscle separation.
What is Abdominal Muscle Separation?
Abdominal Muscle Separation is the separation of the Rectus Abdominus muscle (six pack muscle) caused by the stretching of the connective tissue (linea alba) that connects the two muscle bellies.
It is a NORMAL mechanism that must occur to accommodate the growing baby. Studies have shown 100% of women will have a mild (2-3 finger breadth) Abdominal Muscle Separation by 35 weeks pregnant.
You may see a belly bulge or doming of your tummy when you move from lying to sitting. The stretched linea alba causes the bulging appearance.
What you can do during your pregnancy to reduce the Abdominal Separation?
- Limiting excessive weight gain
- Avoiding constipation
- Avoiding high load abdominal activities such as sit ups and planks
- Wearing an abdominal support garment during pregnancy.
- Avoid heavy lifting
- Use the correct lifting technique
- Modify your exercises as your belly grows and your abdominal muscles stretch
What can you do after birth to improve recovery of your Abdominal Muscle Separation?
- Do Pelvic Floor and Deep Abdominal Muscle exercises (hyperlink Pelvic Floor and Deep Abdominal Exercises to respective pages)
- Wear abdominal garment for the first 6 weeks after birth
- Practice good posture
- Avoid constipation (link to Health Bladder and Bowels)
- Don’t lift anything heavier than your baby, as your baby grows you can lift more weight
- Roll to the side to get in and out of bed so you don’t strain your abdominal tissue
- Avoid abdominal crunches and sit ups for approximately 3 months. Work on pelvic floor muscles and beginner core exercises.
Performance Plus Women’s Physiotherapy provides the Women’s Health Service at Waverley Private Hospital. Consulting nearby at 40 Lemana Crescent Mount Waverley for outpatients means that all your Women’s Health Services are covered. It’s convenient location means that it services the suburbs of Glen Waverley, Burwood, Chadstone, Oakleigh and Clayton as well as suburbs along the south eastern corridor such as Wheelers Hill, Mulgrave, Dandenong and Springvale.
