Diastasis recti abdominis or DRA is also known as abdominal separation. DRA is a condition when the rectus abdominis muscle splits into right and left halves. This condition is typically seen in pregnant women as their bellies expand. According to BeFit-Mom, 30 percent of pregnant women experience abdominal separation. Yoga poses for the transverse abdonimals can help this condition.
Abdominal separation is a painless condition and, according to PubMed Health, will usually heal on its own. However, there are some abdominal exercises that can help in the healing process. The transverse abdominal muscle is the deepest muscle which acts like a girdle, running across the torso holding in the internal organs and stabilizing the core, while helping to flatten the abdominals. Working the transverse abdominal muscle after pregnancy helps to close abdominal separation from the inside. Yoga offers a few transverse abdominal exercises including plank pose, boat pose and upward abdominal lock.
Plank Pose
Kneel and place your hands on the floor with wrists directly under the shoulders. Straighten the legs, lift your knees off the floor and press up onto your toes. Press your thighs and buttocks up and in-line with your spine into a plank position. Keep your head and neck in-line with your spine and gaze at the floor. Hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds. Slowly return your knees onto the floor and sit up. Repeat one or two times. If your wrists are bothersome during this pose, modify it with the dolphin plank pose, in which your weight is supported on the forearms, not the hands and wrists.
Boat Pose
Sit on the floor, with your feet on floor and knees bent. Lift through the chest and lean back slightly onto the sit bones. The sit bones are the point of balance in the buttocks. Exhale and lift your feet off the floor until your thighs are about 45 degrees relative to the floor. If possible, slowly straighten the knees and lift the toes slightly above eye level. Stretch your arms parallel alongside the legs. Lengthen through the spine, neck and head. Start by holding for 10 to 20 seconds and gradually build up to 60 seconds. Make sure to breathe while holding the pose. Slowly return to starting position. Repeat two or three times.
Upward Abdominal Lock
While standing with feet slightly apart, lean forward, place hands on knees, and slightly bend the knees. Inhale and then exhale all the air out of the lungs while pulling the transverse muscle in and up. Hold for five to 15 seconds, then slowly release the muscle and inhale normally. Repeat two or three times. Slowly return to standing when finished. Pulling in the muscle is the same feeling as when sucking in to zip up tight pants. Tip: Make sure to do this exercise on an empty stomach.
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