Abdominal Separation
100% of women will have some degree of separation at the end of a full term pregnancy. Physiotherapy can help to minimise your separation and regain your core control.
What is abdominal separation?
Abdominal separation is a very normal occurrence in pregnancy. During your pregnancy, your abdominal wall will naturally begin to stretch to make room for your growing bub. Initially, your 6-pack muscles will stretch forward, but eventually, they won’t be able to stretch any further and the left and right sides of your 6-pack muscle will start to move away from each other (i.e. separate).
Many women are concerned that their stomach muscles have ‘torn’ away from each other. However, this is not the case. They actually remain connected by a band of connective tissue (called the linea alba). Usually this connective tissue is very thick and stiff, but as the two sides move away from each other, the connective tissue starts to soften and stretch to accomodate this movement.
After bub is delivered, women may find that their abdominal muscles remain separated and that the connective tissue down the centre remains soft. Women may notice that it is harder to engage their abdominal muscles or may notice ‘coning’ of the abdominal wall. ‘Coning’ is where the midline of the abdominal wall (the area between the two sides of the 6 pack) bulges forward. It occurs when increased pressure in the abdomen caused by certain movements (e.g. sit ups) pushes the soft connective tissue forward.
Physiotherapy Management
Abdominal Exercises
It is a common misconception that you shouldn’t exercise your abdominal wall if you have abdominal separation. However, research shows that a specifically designed abdominal wall rehab program can actually help to decrease your separation.
Activity Modifications
Your physiotherapist can teach you how to modify certain activities such as getting in and out of bed and lifting heaving objects to limit the amount of ‘coning’ that occurs in your abdominal wall.
Abdominal Binding
Abdominal binding in the early postpartum period has been shown to improve abdominal muscle separation. Speak to your women’s health physiotherapist about which abdominal supports we recommend.