Postpartum rectus abdominis separation self-test rectus abdominis separation judgment method

Many women suffer from rectus abdominis separation after giving birth. We can first judge the severity by self-testing at home, and then find an exercise method that suits us.

You can check the rectus abdominis separation yourself 3 days after a normal birth (for cesarean section, it depends on the wound recovery). How to check the rectus abdominis separation yourself: Keep the posture in Figure 3, lie on your back with your legs bent. Expose your abdomen, support your head with your left hand, put your right index finger and middle finger together, and probe vertically into your abdomen, and relax your body. Then lift your upper body and feel the abdominal muscles on both sides squeezing your fingers toward the middle. If you can't feel the squeezing, move your fingers to both sides until you find the tense muscles. Measure the distance between the muscles on both sides.

Normal: within 2 fingers (including 2 fingers)

Need to improve: 2~3 fingers

Need medical attention: 3 or more fingers

First, let me introduce an effortless correction method that takes less than 2 fingers: the breathing push method. Lie on your back on the bed, bend your knees about 90 degrees, place your hands on both sides of your belly button, and when you exhale, contract your abdomen inwards. At the same time, push your hands inwards and downwards, and try to close the gap between the rectus abdominis muscles. Pause for 5 to 10 seconds. Do this for 5 to 10 minutes each time, 3 to 5 times a day.

If the separation is more than 2 fingers, it is not suitable for regular high-intensity rectus abdominis training (crunches, sit-ups, etc.), which will aggravate the separation. You cannot do yoga exercises such as lower back bending that push the abdomen forward and various twisting body movements. It is recommended to start with pelvic floor muscle and transverse abdominal muscle training. When the distance is reduced to within 2 fingers, you can do some regular abdominal muscle training.

Action 1: Standing abdominal contraction

Preparation: Stand with your back to the wall, lean your upper body against the wall (maintain a neutral position, with the back of your head, back, and buttocks against the wall), and keep your feet about 30 cm away from the wall.

Action execution: Inhale to prepare; exhale, press the lumbar spine against the wall, then inhale to return to the original position. 10 to 15 times per set, repeat 2 to 3 sets.

Note: Avoid pushing the wall backwards with your arms. Pull your abdomen inwards as much as possible, actively move closer to the wall, and imagine the feeling of moving your belly button closer to the wall.

Action 2: Kneeling abdominal contraction

Preparation: Four-point kneeling position, hip and knee joints vertical, shoulder and wrist joints vertical, spine in neutral position (thoracic spine natural flexion, lumbar spine natural flexion).

Action execution: Inhale and relax your lower abdomen naturally; when exhaling, forcefully pull your lower abdomen inward. Repeat 10 to 15 times per set, and do 2 to 3 sets.

Note: Do not change the neutral position of the spine during the whole process. Only the abdomen is moving. Imagine the feeling of pulling the navel towards the lumbar spine.

Action 3: Kneeling leg stretch

Preparation: Four-point kneeling position, hip and knee joints vertical, shoulder and wrist joints vertical, spine in neutral position (thoracic spine natural flexion, lumbar spine natural flexion).

Action execution: Inhale to prepare, and while exhaling, slowly move your right leg backward; inhale without moving, and exhale slowly pull your leg back. Complete 4 to 6 times, and repeat on the other side. When you can control your body well, start to practice alternating leg extensions, stretching each leg 4 to 6 times, and repeat 2 to 3 sets.

Note: Keep the torso and pelvis in a neutral position throughout the whole process, and do not deviate from the center line. Imagine that there is a bottle of water on the pelvis, and the bottle cannot fall over.

After giving birth, the new mother's loose abdominal muscles cannot immediately return to their original shape and position. Within a few days after giving birth, more than half of women's rectus abdominis will separate by more than two finger widths. Without external intervention, even after the "confinement period" (i.e., the puerperium, about 6 to 8 weeks), 30% of women's rectus abdominis will not return to their original position. This will not only reduce their spinal stability, leading to back pain, but also cause organs and fat to swell the abdomen, lose the flat appearance, and seriously affect the body and spirit. In addition, the deeper the degree of rectus abdominis separation, the weaker the abdominal muscles, and the less support for the waist and back. Many women are prone to back pain after giving birth, and even getting up becomes very difficult.