We place too much importance on our abs

What do I mean by that? We place too much importance on how our abdominal muscles look, flat tummies versus round tummies.

We judge ourselves and others, based on the size of their stomachs. Now, it has some indications for health, but that's their business not yours.

The subject of Diastasis was part of a course I completed with Antony Lo, The Physio Detective and it really got me thinking about the subject of Diastasis Recti, which is known as the abdominal separation. It is most commonly associated with women postpartum.

Now I'm going to let you in on a secret, diastasis can happen to anyone, whether or not they've had a baby. Children, men, or women who've never had children. But it's certainly become a very familiar term to women of childbearing age.

So what is it? It is the stretching of the abdominal wall, which, in pregnancy, if you think about it should be normal. The abdominal wall needs to stretch to accommodate your growing baby. The abdominal wall should return to normal whatever normal is, postpartum. And in some cases, it does not, therefore leaving a gap. This gap has been the cause of much discussion and debate in the physiotherapy world.

And I am very aware, because of many fitness programs and medical devices such as bracing and AB tanks out there. Now I'm not saying any of these things are wrong. In fact, many of them have been shown to be beneficial.

But what I want people to understand is we have to look at it from the perspective of what is the gap? What is it that the change in your abdominals is not letting you do? Now that doesn't just mean functionally, as in, lifting up your children, walking up and down stairs or getting back to your fitness regime, it can also mean how you feel about yourself, aesthetically.

If NONE of those things apply, what are you worried about? And I pose that question genuinely. I want to know what you're worried about. Where are your fears and concerns? And if you honestly have questions and concerns and fears, I advise contacting a pelvic health physiotherapist and talking to them about it. Have an assessment and find out what's really going on. If you have back pain, some pelvic floor dysfunction, there can be an association with that, and an abdominal separation. So it's important if you have a concern, that you get it addressed.

But it's also important to understand, you are resilient and your body can recover.

People can recover from the most devastating injuries. You are no different.

Having an abdominal separation does not mean your fitness, your ability to be a parent, your ability to live your life the way you'd like to, needs to stop. It simply means you need to find your team. And that could be physiotherapy, a fitness pro, somebody to talk to you in a counseling capacity.

But you need to find those people to support you on your journey back. I assure you, you can do it.

Nicola Robertson

Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist