You might have observed various ladies (especially pregnant women) and men suffering from Diastasis Recti. Diastasis Recti in men is barely found but the people having excessive abdominal fat are apt to develop this disorder. One of the clear signs of this disease is a major bulge in your mid-abdomen. The paleness and division of your abdomen muscles is the main cause that leads to the generation of a huge pooch in your stomach (probably the mid-abdomen, often known as abs). So if you aren’t familiar with this critical disease, read on this guide to ascertain its causes, symptoms, and possible treatment.
Causes of Diastasis Recti in Male/Female
When a lot of stress or weight is placed on your stomach, it causes your abdominal muscles to get divided which leads to the formation of a big bulge on your mid-abdomen. Basically, the pregnant women are more prone to Diastasis Recti as the developing uterus causes stress on the stomach muscles which detaches it causing the formation of a large pooch. However, the causes aren’t limited to pregnancy or obesity; in fact, any sort of factor that causes a lot of pressure on your belly can turn out to be the major cause of this issue. To name a few, weightlifting, genetics issue, stomach-related exercises, a sudden change in your weight, swelling in your abdomen, or HIV infection can also cause this terrible disease.
Besides men and women, even the newborn infants that have experienced a premature birth tend to suffer from this disease as their stomach muscles are not grown completely. But the good news is that the disease in such cases gets solved once the abdominal muscles of a child fully develop.
Common Symptoms of Diastasis Recti
A huge bulge around your stomach which becomes more visible when you put pressure or weight on your abdomen is the common symptom you can notice amongst the patients suffering from this horrible disorder. Apart from the abdominal pooch, the people suffering from this disease tend to experience, bloating, constipation, lower back pain, and bad posture.
Risk Factors
Individuals that frequently strain their abdominal muscles or those suffering from obesity are more likely to develop Diastasis Recti. These people mainly involve those who practice regular weightlifting exercises, pregnant ladies, and people with excessive belly fat. In addition to the mentioned risk factors, your daily postures also influence the functioning of your abdomen. So rather than bending to collect bulky objects, it is advisable to collect it by lifting
As per the research, men suffering from the dreadful AAA condition can also develop the disorder. In fact, your risk to develop the pooch escalates if you’re going through abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).
Diagnosing
In order to diagnose the state, a practitioner would take your certain physical test including sit-ups, crunches, and more. If a hefty pooch is noticed in your stomach muscles, you’re apt to diagnose with Diastasis Recti. Furthermore, the specialist would take CT scan, Calipers, and an ultrasound test to ascertain the gap between your muscles and the seriousness of the disease.
How to treat Diastasis Recti ?
Although Diastasis Recti couldn’t be termed as a life-threatening issue, it can turn out to be really painful if you carry some heavy packages or you simply perform any abdomen-based exercise. Exercise has proven to be beneficial in some cases but there isn’t any clinical evidence found till date. Exercises and meditation that reinforce your hips, stomach, and lower back can help you get some relief.
Note that some weightlifting exercises and any type of workout that strain your abdominal muscles should be avoided as it can worsen the state. Or if you still wanna do it, consult a physical therapist to practice the powerlifting exercises in an appropriate manner. If you’re taking this disease more as a cosmetic issue, it is worth buying a slimming belt to alleviate the pooch.
Final Words
Diastasis Recti can be cured with back and abdomen strengthening exercises unless they are performed inappropriately. If you’re suffering from obesity then you should first aim to lose weight to get rid of the recurrence of the disease. Furthermore, if you’re a fitness freak and practice regular workout including weightlifting exercise, make sure you lift the hefty objects properly.
If still, you couldn’t find any relief from the issue, you should consult your doctor and get medication and surgery (in severe cases) to get rid of the disease. All the best!