Rectus abdominis separation exercise diagram

Many women experience rectus abdominis separation right after giving birth. This is a very normal phenomenon. You must do rectus abdominis recovery exercises after giving birth. You can usually do sit-ups, knee bends, or use some equipment to exercise.

How to recover from rectus abdominis separation after childbirth

Push-ups, crunches, planks, etc.

It mainly exercises the abdominal muscles, internal and external oblique muscles, transverse abdominal muscles and other abdominal muscles. However, if the separation of the rectus abdominis is still more than two finger widths (about 2cm), only the abdominal breathing method, Pull-Ins, and Splinted Curls exercises can be performed. Only when the separation is less than two finger widths can these basic abdominal exercises be performed, otherwise the degree of rectus abdominis separation will be aggravated. In short, postpartum recovery is a process from shallow to deep, and the intensity of exercise should be gradually increased. Do not do too much exercise in a hurry to restore your body shape.

Rectus Abdomen Separation Training Methods after Childbirth

1. Lying flat and contracting the transverse abdominal muscle training

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, with your hands slightly below your belly button. Gently contract your abdomen, feel your belly button moving down toward your back, and pull your abdomen in completely. Gently relax and contract your abdomen with your hands to feel the tightening of your abdomen. Keep your abdomen contracted for 10-15 seconds, then relax and rest for 5 seconds, and then repeat the above movements. Each group is maintained for 3-6 times, and 3 groups are done. Breathe in and out during the whole exercise, and do not hold your breath.

2. Lying pelvic posterior tilt training

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Put your hands on both sides of your body, tighten your abdomen, roll your pelvis upward (tilt backward), lower your abdomen, gently lift your sacrum off the ground, and then slowly recover. Breathe in as the pelvis rolls up, and breathe out as it slowly returns to its original position. Be sure to coordinate this with your inhalation. Do this 3 times for 15 to 20 times per set.

3. Camel training

Start from the four-legged support position, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hip joints. Contract your abdomen and bend your spine forward, arching your back as far as possible like a handle, and pay attention to your breathing during this process. While breathing, return your back to its original position, and return your spine to a neutral position. Pay attention to stimulating the deep abdominal muscles to push your belly button up, and feel the baby's abdominal circumference getting smaller. Do 3 sets of 15-20 times each.

4. Superman 2 training

Start on all fours, with your hands underneath your shoulders and your kneecaps underneath your hip joints. Lift your abdomen up, keeping your spine in a neutral position and avoiding collapsing at the waist. Alternately flex and stretch the hand and foot on the other side (right hand, right leg, left hand, left leg) until they are in line with the back, and then slowly return to the original position. Pay attention to the body not shaking during the movement, and keep the spine in a neutral position from beginning to end. If you feel it is too difficult, you can flex and extend your arms first and then your legs, 10-15 times each group, and do 3 groups.

What does rectus abdominis separation mean after childbirth

During the pregnancy, as the fetus in the uterus gradually expands, the abdominal skin, muscle fascia, tendon sheath, muscles, etc. are greatly expanded. At the same time, due to the effect of hormones, the linea alba relaxes and the connection strength decreases, causing the linea alba to become wider and wider. The abdominal support force quickly exceeds the elasticity limit of the linea alba. As a result, the upper and lower abdominal muscles are forced to separate, resulting in rectus abdominis separation.