Core strengthening plays a crucial role in the closure of your diastasis recti abdominal muscle separation (DRAM). DRAM is a condition where the abdominal muscles separate, often due to pregnancy, heavy lifting, aging loss of fitness and more.
Here's a breakdown of how core strengthening contributes to reducing DRAM and aims to resolve your DRAM:
Restoring Muscle Function
Muscle activation: Core strengthening exercises help reactivate and engage the muscles of the abdominal wall that may have become weakened, separated and have ‘switched off’ due to DRAM.
Muscle coordination: is greatly improved with core exercises ensuring the correct muscles activate in the appropriate protective sequence. Therefore, muscle balance is restored and as a result you are less likely to injure your muscle, when adding further loads.
Improving Core Stability
Support for the abdominal wall: Strengthening the core muscles which includes transverse abdominis, obliques, and rectus abdominis, helps provide better support for the abdominal wall, reducing the gap and promoting healing.
Pelvic floor integration: Working your core muscles includes working and strengthening our pelvic floor muscles (PFMs). Strengthening the core and floor (PFMs) improves overall stability and support both for your abdominal wall and as a result your spine.
Enhancing Posture and Alignment
Postural support: Core strengthening helps improve posture and alignment, which can alleviate pressure on the abdominal muscles.
Reduction of compensatory movements (cheating muscle movements): By strengthening the core, you can reduce compensatory movements that might place additional strain on the abdominal wall and contribute to diastasis recti.
Preventing Further Injury
Proper technique: Core strengthening exercises teach proper technique for movement and lifting, which helps prevent further injury or worsening of your DRAM.
Gradual Progression
Gentle exercises: Initial core exercises for DRAM are usually gentle and focus on rebuilding strength without putting excessive strain on the abdominal wall. Examples include pelvic tilts / rocks, modified crunches, breathing techniques and abdominal bracing.
Progressive loading: As recovery progresses, exercises can be gradually intensified to build more strength and support, helping to close your DRAM and improve overall core function.
Core strengthening is a key component in the recovery from diastasis recti abdominal muscle separation (DRAM). It helps restore muscle function, improve stability, support proper posture, and prevent further injury.
It's important to work with your Physiotherapist who is specialised in Core and Floor Assessment Programs to ensure exercises are performed correctly and safely for your presentation and level of fitness.
At PhysioMatters we have over 30 years of experience in restoring core and floor muscles. We have presented at several International Conferences on the role of Physiotherapy exercises and how the correct exercise program will successfully reducing your diastasis recti abdominal muscle separation (DRAM).
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