Effectiveness of Transverse Abdominis Muscle activation along With Breathing Maneuvers On Inter-Recti Distance In Post Natal Women With Diastasis Recti: A Randomized Control Trial

Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) refers to the separation between the rectus abdominis along the linea alba due to increased abdominal internal pressure, which commonly occurs during and after pregnancy. Martin Eriksson Crommert (2020) had interviewed patients about their experience living with diastasis recti, and he found out that many women reported that the increased IRD affected their daily lives and that they felt discomfort or painful sensations mostly from the belly, but also from the lumbopelvic region. Some used the words ‘muscle cramp’ to describe the sensation, whereas others thought it was a more diffuse sensation that was hard to describe. They expressed sadness because it hindered them from many everyday activities, such as lifting heavier loads, e.g. laundry baskets, or playing around with their children in such a way that they could get pushed in their bellies. Furthermore, many of the women, regardless of whether or not they experienced discomfort or pain, described a sensation of heaviness in their pelvic region or of their belly falling out, already at relatively low loads. Most of the women described that they had difficulties recruiting their abdominal muscles properly; they expressed that they did not ‘find’ them, leaving them with a sense of instability in the mid-section of the body. Among other things, the women described it like they lacked a centre, that they could not keep their belly together, that their mid-section was ‘dead’, and that they lacked support in the middle. Several women described that they constantly needed to think about activating their abdominal muscles in order to get at least some sense of stability since they experienced no automatic activation anymore. During daily activities and exercise, the body felt wobbly. During e.g. physical exercises, they preferred to use seated or lying positions due to the perceived lack of muscular control/stability in standing positions. Some women felt that an elastic belt gave them a positive sense of support, others did not. While diastasis recti itself doesn’t directly cause breathing problems, the condition can significantly impact breathing patterns by altering the way abdominal muscles engage, potentially leading to shallow breathing and making it harder to recover from a separation due to improper core engagement; essentially, the weakened abdominal muscles can affect the movement of diaphragm, which is crucial for breathing properly.  Persistent DRA can potentially lead to a range of symptoms and dysfunctions. These can manifest as altered trunk mechanics, impaired pelvic stability, and altered posture, which can make the lumbar spine and pelvis more susceptible to injury. That is why diagnosing and treating Diastasis Recti at earliest and will help in improving the quality of life of post natal women. This study hypothesize that Strengthening core muscles along with breathing maneuver will improve Inter-recti Distance among post natal women.