Measuring your diastasis recti or abdominal separation assesses the width of the gap, the tension of the connective tissue and core function. You can watch a diastasis recti test video here.
But measuring your diastasis recti often raises as many questions as it answers. ‘Is it the gap when my head and shoulders are resting on the floor, or raised?’ ‘How high up do I lift?’ ‘Is the real size of the gap when the muscles are relaxed or when they are engaged?’ ‘Why is my gap wider at some points than at others?’ ”My gap is larger at night than in the morning. Which is the right measurement?’ ‘I get more doming of my abs when I raise my head higher / when I do a straight leg lift / when I lift my shoulders… which one is the true measurement?’.
The reason for that is all the ways you perform a diastasis recti test exert intra-abdominal pressure. When you do a diastasis recti test you contract the rectus abdominis muscle temporarily to enable you to feel the gap between the 2 parts of the muscle and to approximate the width of that gap with your fingers.
How often should you be measuring your diastasis?
If you’re working on rehabbing your diastasis, check in with a brief test every 2-3 weeks. There’s really no need to do it any more often than that. You are establishing an approximate measurement in finger widths, as well as tension and pressure in the midline. The video shows and explains. You measure so you can have an idea of progress as you get stronger. Remember, people have different size fingers… this is not an exact science.
The gap itself, the diastasis recti is not the cause of any core issues, it’s merely a symptom. Address the reasons for the gap and don’t worry too much about measuring a diastasis recti too often.
Start incorporating movement that helps heal your diastasis recti instead!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for this reminder. You have brought me to tears which remind me that my body “needs a little love” (or a lot right now). I seriously love MUTU and am feeling stronger and more confident with each day that passes. I’m so thankful for this system; it WORKS!!!!
Omg…thank you for this article!!!! Love love love it!!! It always makes me crazy to measure all the things…time to stop and start feeling good again!!! 🙂
Omg…thank you for this article!!!! Love love love it!!! It always makes me crazy to measure all the things…time to stop and start feeling good again!!! 🙂
THANK YOU!! this is what I needed…I have intuitively not been focusing on it, but it gives reassurance that I was not wrong…phew!
THANK YOU!! this is what I needed…I have intuitively not been focusing on it, but it gives reassurance that I was not wrong…phew!
How I needed to read this tidbit of advice this morning! My eleventh baby is 21 months old, and I’m on the weight loss track. I’ve come down 10 pounds, but after starting an intense workout routine, I swiftly gained 8 back! Every fatty part of me has slimmed down 1/2-1 inch or so, except my stomach! I’ve read extensively how to treat Diastasis, and what not to do while working out. I long to wear the pretty waistline dresses my beautiful teen girls effortlessly throw on for a day out together, and I feel that feminine and lovely most of the time. I know the treasures I hold! But, I have obsessed with the scales and the size of my stomach in recent days, and it has only led to my discouragement.
If I haven’t worked out to speak of since having the last five children, and I have 30 pounds to go, it won’t happen over night. It didn’t get here over night! Two months of hitting it hard isn’t going to change 9 years of “letting it go!” Thank you for your research, information, and encouragement! You are the first I read giving me hope for change with my ever pregnant silhouette. Thank God for girdles!
11 babies!! “chapeau bas, Madame”
How I needed to read this tidbit of advice this morning! My eleventh baby is 21 months old, and I’m on the weight loss track. I’ve come down 10 pounds, but after starting an intense workout routine, I swiftly gained 8 back! Every fatty part of me has slimmed down 1/2-1 inch or so, except my stomach! I’ve read extensively how to treat Diastasis, and what not to do while working out. I long to wear the pretty waistline dresses my beautiful teen girls effortlessly throw on for a day out together, and I feel that feminine and lovely most of the time. I know the treasures I hold! But, I have obsessed with the scales and the size of my stomach in recent days, and it has only led to my discouragement.
If I haven’t worked out to speak of since having the last five children, and I have 30 pounds to go, it won’t happen over night. It didn’t get here over night! Two months of hitting it hard isn’t going to change 9 years of “letting it go!” Thank you for your research, information, and encouragement! You are the first I read giving me hope for change with my ever pregnant silhouette. Thank God for girdles!
11 babies!! “chapeau bas, Madame”
Good advice…just need to take it day by day just like with weight loss!
Thanks for the advice. I’ll stop today!!!
Thanks for the advice. I’ll stop today!!!
Dear Wendy, you are my true inspiration! I admire you a lot! Thank you for all your hard-work and inspiration. Thank you for this post and thank you so much for the love and hope!