Diastasis Recti and Planks

A common conversation in the diastasis world is what exercises are safe and what are not? There are a bunch of positions and exercises that are not optimal for diastasis recti and other core-related issues and plank pose falls into a bit of a grey area. Most clinicians say yes while others are adamantly no.

Usually the reason for “no” being that plank pose puts too much pressure on the diastasis via the weight of the organs on the linea alba (connective tissue running down the centerline that gets thinned during a diastasis). Since the linea alba is already compromised and does not function optimally, the theory is that you do not want to add more weight/stress/pressure to it.

While I understand that line of reasoning, I am not a firm “no.” In fact my 13-week Restore Your Core Program features plank pose. My reason for teaching plank (though not to all students…keep reading) is that I believe that the weight of the organs can actually encourage the deep abdominals to function and support the organs. Once a client learns to activate her/his deep core musculature via breath work and exercises then they should be able to use the same mechanism in a plank to support their weight of the organs.

That being said, not everyone with a diastasis is ready to do a plank safely. The key of plank being not whether you should do them but how are you doing them. And are you ready to be doing them?

There are many great ways to modify a plank until one is ready for a full plank. Along with THIS video to learn how to modify.

I post videos and classes all the time with conscious and functional exercises. In my free Facebook group called Restore Your Core Community (FB) I post breathing videos and webinars, and if you are ready for a guided program, there is my 13-week step by step comprehensive program Restore Your Core.


 

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