Diagnosis

Test Yourself

There is a simple test which you can do at home to tell if your abdominal muscles have separated. The NHS offers the following instructions:

  1. Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor.

  2. Place your fingers on your belly button.

  3. Raise your shoulders off the floor slightly and look down at your tummy.

  4. Using the tips of your fingers, feel between the edges of the muscles, above and below your belly button. See how many fingers you can fit into the gap between your muscles.

The gap can be found below the bellybutton, around the bellybutton, above the bellybutton, or throughout the length of the muscle.

Scans

I can feel it, but how do I know how big it is? Do I need a scan?

Generally scans are not required for the diagnosis of diastatis recti. The muscle edges can be felt using fingers and the above diagnosis technique.

However, many people who have other abdominal issues such as pains, hernias and prolapses may be referred for a scan. Depending on the type of scan, this can also show the diastasis recti. The reason behind scanning for the other conditions and not diastasis recti itself is twofold:

  1. DR is detectable without a scan.

  2. DR is not life threatening. With those other conditions there are risks of potentially life threatening complications that do not occur with diastasis recti.

Diastasis Recti is easy to see and measure on a CT Scan. However, it occurs frequently and so the presence and measurement of the separation may not be reported by the radiologist unless it is specifically requested.

An example of CT imaging of a patient with diastasis recti.

Please note that X Rays won’t show it. Ultrasound is able to detect hernias, but unlikely to pick up the diastasis recti without a specific interest by the radiographer. It is visible on an MRI depending on what the MRI was looking for.

External links:

Video

Mummy MOT Physio, Debs, @bumptobeyond, shares a video on how to check yourself for a gap between your tummy muscles.

Written and Video

Written details on how to check yourself and the below table of severity can be found at Every Mother.

Treatment Options

Further information can be found on all treatment options by clicking through the images to the relevant dedicated pages.

Physiotherapy and Exercise

Exercise is a powerful tool to restore function to all the core muscles. However, before leaping back into an exercise routine, please be aware that some exercises can make the condition worse, while others will help build strength and gradually reduce the inter-rectus gap.

Surgery

This is a significant decision. Where it is appropriate it can be transformative. But it is not a decision to be taken lightly. We are seeking to answer the following questions from a selection of surgeons:

Mental Health and Pain

Being in pain is exhausting, and debilitating. This has impacts on our energy at home, with families and our ability to ‘get back to it’ through exercise.

Please also see our Support pages for social media support groups.