Progressive Therapeutic Exercise Program for Successful Treatment of a Postpartum Woman With a Severe Diastasis Recti Abdominis

This report describes physical therapy intervention for a 32-year-old gravida 2, para 2 (G2P2) woman referred at 7 weeks postpartum with a DRA measuring 11.5 cm IRD at the umbilicus and extending more than 9 cm vertically along the linea alba. Outcome: The patient attended 18 sessions from evaluation to discharge over a 4-month period. Interrecti distance was reduced to 2.0 cm at the widest point of separation. She regained functional strength and achieved all goals for load transfer activities: standing, walking, lifting and carrying her child, and light jogging. Discussion: The patient in this case report demonstrated successful reduction of IRD of a large DRA and restoration of functional strength with physical therapy intervention. Physical therapists play an important role in identifying and treating patients with significant DRAs. However, guidelines are currently not available in the literature identifying how large of a diastasis can be conservatively treated with exercise. Interventions should include patient education on precautions with DRA, therapeutic progressive exercise with abdominal muscle retraining, and recommendations for support garments or self-bracing of recti muscles during trunk flexion.
Source: Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy - Category: Physiotherapy Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research