Postnatal Core Exercises & Diastasis Recti: Safety & Modifications

Question
Hi Helene,

I love your book.  I have been doing the second program, Knitting Back Together, for weeks and I am seeing significant results.  I want to progress to the "Advanced Core Strength" program.  I do have diastasis recti (2.5 finger width).  Can I do "The Egg" and "The Superwoman"?  Should I substitute "The Egg" with "Abdominal crunch with abdominal splinting" instead, since "The Egg" involves an upper body crunch?  Should I substitute "The superwoman" with "half cobra"?  Would these prone exercises stretch my recti even more, worsening my diastasis?

Thanks.


Answer
With the exercises that you mention, it depends on your level of core control.

For "The Egg," try one with a very small range of motion. If you can maintain a perfectly flat abdominal wall throughout, then OK, but if your abs bulge outward, even a little, during any part, then hold off on that one.

For "Superwomen," if you can do the exercise with no compression in your lower back, then you're strong enough for this one. Concentrate on elongating your torso, not how high you can lift your upper spine or legs.

For both of these, if you do them properly, you will not worsen your diastasis.