By: Jen DeVane-Mulhern
If you have read my previous blog, you’ll know I had severe Diastasis Rectus Abdominis (DRA) from my pregnancy. After having a consultation with a pelvic floor physical therapist and better-understanding of my individual case, I was then able to use my Pilates training to close the gap.
Initially there were many restricted movements and the use of KT tape, but the movements I was allowed to do were all very familiar to me, as they are all part of the Pilates repertoire. After about a month and HUGE results (almost fully-closed!), I started to add in more Pilates exercises, while always being mindful of good form and how each exercise felt (and avoiding or modifying anything that created discomfort around my navel).
After reading about the controversies over doing crunches with DRA and seeking the advice of several pelvic floor physical therapists, I decided to add crunches, and eventually Roll Up, Teaser, Roll Over, Jackknife, Short Spine, and more back into my workouts. This successfully closed my DRA completely and removed any depth in my DRA that still was there. If done CORRECTLY, forward flexion CLOSES the DRA gap, and I found that to be absolutely true.
As I said before, seeking out the advice of a pelvic floor PT (or OT) is vital for narrowing a severe gap, but my understanding of and training in Pilates did the rest. Need help closing the gap or dealing with other Pelvic Floor Dysfunction? Feel free to reach out for a FREE consultation.