Many women split their tummy muscles during pregnancy and exercise alone usually fails to return the muscles back to normal. This results in an overhanging belly, bulge or pooch which can be rectified with Full Tummy Tuck- abdominoplasty surgery by Dr Carmen Munteanu – Female Plastic Surgeon in Melboune, Australia.
Diastasis recti, also known as separation of the abdominal muscles, is the medical term for this condition in which there is partial or complete separation of the rectus abdominis muscle. It is a condition common during and after pregnancy, with estimates that 60% of women suffer from diastasis recti during this period. In addition to pregnant women, diastasis recti in men can occur, especially those who lift heavy weights improperly.
Rectus abdominis, known more commonly as the ab muscles are paired abdominal muscles that meet at the midline of the stomach and are separated by a central band called the linea alba.
Rectus abdominis are key tummy muscles that help in:
The leading cause of separation of the tummy muscles in females is during pregnancy and/or during childbirth. Pregnancy and childbirth can drastically change a women’s body.
As the uterus grows during pregnancy, the abdominal muscles also start stretching to accommodate the fetus. The appearance of stretch marks on your belly area is a natural suggestion that your skin is being overstretched, which is not the case inside the body. The two main panels of muscles down the middle of the abs start separating during pregnancy and delivery due to the strain caused by continuous stretching of the abdominal area. In some cases, the outstretched abdominal muscles will retreat to their original place and in some cases, they will not. The area where the separation might have taken place is indicated by a bulge.
In men, separation of the abdominal muscles is usually rare but a fair few cases arise due to incorrect exercise and lifting techniques.
The complications that you may face will depend on the severity of the separation. Evaluation can be done either by your surgeon or by oneself through a DR-self test, where a gap smaller than 2.5cm which is not deep can be prevented from widening by undergoing core rehab exercises. However, any gap greater than 2.5 cm tends to possess more health concerns.
Some women may not face any issue from the separation of their tummy muscles, but for others, common problems may include:
Diastasis recti surgery is a surgical method of bringing the separated abdominal muscles back together.
It can be performed either singly or in conjunction with abdominoplasty in cases where surplus fat and skin are to be removed. In severe cases of diastasis, there could be the presence of an umbilical hernia which will be corrected during the procedure.
General anaesthesia is utilised on the patients for this procedure. An incision will be made between the navel and the pubic area horizontally.
Skin and tissue that are above the abdominal fascia will be undermined and raised to the navel. Another incision is created around the umbilicus to free the umbilical stalk. The dissection of the abdomen and subsequent elevation will continue until it approaches the base of the rib cage.
To provide enhanced support to the separated abdominal muscles, these will be joined together using non-dissolvable sutures at varying depths. Upon completion of the strengthening of the muscle, the umbilicus will be reconnected to the outer skin; the abdominal skin will be drawn back to the pubic area, and incisions will be closed with the help of sutures.
Good candidates for diastasis recti surgery are the patients who:
You will need complete rest for the entire day after the completion of the surgery and you will require a minimum of two weeks’ leave from your workplace until the pain subsides to a level it won’t hamper your daily activity.
Swelling following the procedure can last up to a month after the surgery. So compression garments and abdominal binders need to be worn for at least a month.
You will have to abstain from bending improperly or lifting heavy objects for a minimum of two weeks up to three weeks after the surgery as it bears the risks of opening the wound.
The results following the surgery are mostly permanent except in cases with excessive weight gain or subsequent pregnancy. The outcome of the procedure will be visible once recovery is complete. However, this can take anywhere from three months to a year.
Benefits of the surgery can include:
Risks of the surgery can include:
The surgery is quite expensive
The result obtained from surgery will be lost in case of a subsequent pregnancy
Re-opening of the incision internally or externally
An infection at the incision site, which can spread throughout the body
Loss of sensation in and around the incision or persistent pain
Loss of skin
Swelling that doesn’t recede with time
Patients who smoke or have various health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and asthma have a comparatively higher complication possibility than other patients.
Physical Therapy: If the gap of the diastasis recti is smaller than 2.5cm and not deep; this gap can be prevented from further enlarging by undergoing physical therapy. The physical therapist can teach you exercises to help strengthen the abdominal muscles and show you which exercises to steer clear of together with correct posture, mobility, and lifting technique.
There is no complete guarantee that the teachings and implementation of the physical therapist’s advice will completely fix the situation, but this will re-strengthen your muscles in addition to decreasing any prospect of further deterioration. Apart from this, various support materials like supporting belts, braces, and waist trainers can also assist in holding the muscles in their original position.