Effects of Abdominal Hypopressive Exercises on Diastasis Recti in Postpartum Women

Postnatal women wish to resume abdominal exercises shortly after delivery to improve trunk function and restore the pre-pregnant state of the body. Diastasis recti is a common occurrence in the postpartum period which is associated with both physical impairments and body image concerns. Despite the high prevalence, treatment options are still being explored to identify the best approach to resolve it. Exercise is a conservative method to reduce IRD and improve the associated symptoms and quality of life of postpartum females. Most of the previous studies have used either digital nylon calipers or digital palpation methods for the outcome assessment of DrA which has important implications. Fewer studies have used the gold standard US diagnosis. Despite various studies being conducted on the effect of exercise on DrA, the results are still nonconclusive with a deficiency of a standardized protocol. Multifaceted and clinically meaningful assessments have been proposed to be investigated by the previous literature.