Hello Barbell Medicine,
I have a question about diastasis recti. I am a 43 year old male, 280 lbs, and I have had this condition for years. Can this condition be cured through weight loss and exercise, or is this condition only able to be fixed by corrective surgery. Are there specific abdominal exercises that should be avoided? Thank you.
BW
BW,
Thanks for the post and I hope you’re well.
In general, exercise tends to improve the function of folks with DR, but it is unclear whether or not this is reliably curative. It doesn’t appear to be harmful, however. Weight loss may also help- particularly cosmetically- but again, it isn’t clear if this is curative. There are no exercises that should routinely be avoided.
Surgery is indicated for cosmetics or if there is some other indication to repair the laxity in the linea alba.
-Jordan