Training Pre and Post Diastasis Recti Surgery

Medical Q&A [Moderated]
1

I’ve been training for a few months no problem (SSLP) and am continuing to do so, despite a diagnosed diastasis recti and potential umbilical hernia. Yesterday, I met with a surgeon who was telling me to finish breastfeeding (my baby is 6 months, and I’d like to go for at least a year) and let my baby get old enough to walk before considering surgery because “you can’t lift more than 15 pounds for 8 weeks post surgery.”

#1 If a person listens to his/her body and is smart, can a person restart LP post surgery quite a bit sooner than 8 weeks? That seems excessive.

#2 I have decent proprioception and can tell that things just “aren’t right” with the stability of my abs. I don’t know a better way to describe it than that. (I also have some pain, but I think that’s from the likely umbilical hernia which is unable to be officially diagnosed without a CT scan.) Am I going to hurt myself if I continue to train before doing the surgery? Should I be waiting as long as the surgeon recommended to do the surgery?

Thanks so much for taking the time to start this forum and better the lives of others. It’s very generous and greatly appreciated!

Edit to add: would a lifting belt help or exacerbate the problem?

2

#1) In my opinion, yes.

#2) We have no way of predicting whether you might injure yourself. It’s also not clear what the exact risks of training are (since the “< 15 lbs x 8 weeks” recommendation is not based in evidence), but it sounds like you’re willing to accept some unknown (but likely small) risk of exacerbating the issue in exchange for the benefits of training, while paying close attention to your symptoms along the way.