Coughing and leaking urine, loose belly, back pain... all of these are related to this muscle! 1 simple movement to test yourself

Rectus Abdominis Separation

This is not unfamiliar to many postpartum mothers.

But in fact

Obese men and even babies

You may also encounter this problem

Not only affects the body appearance

Makes the belly look loose

It may also cause constipation, urinary incontinence, and back pain.

A series of problems such as sagging of internal organs

What we usually call "eight-pack abs" and "six-pack abs" actually refers to the rectus abdominis area.

The rectus abdominis is composed of two longitudinal muscles separated by a vertical white line in the middle and is an important group of abdominal muscles.

The rectus abdominis not only affects your posture and abdominal contour, but also plays an important role in bending the spine, protecting abdominal organs, and maintaining intra-abdominal pressure. It can make you more stable when lifting heavy objects, breathing, coughing, defecating, and giving birth .

Rectus abdominis separation, as the name suggests, is the separation between the rectus abdominis muscles.

This condition usually occurs in pregnant women, especially in the later stages of pregnancy . As the fetus grows, the abdomen continues to expand, the linea alba will be stretched and thinned, and the distance between the rectus abdominis muscles will increase, leading to rectus abdominis separation.

Image source: Photo Network

Simply put, rectus abdominis separation is like the abdominal muscles are stretched, the middle connecting band (linea alba) is stretched too long, and the rectus abdominis muscles cannot stick together well.

It's like a zipper that's been pulled apart, with the center teeth not aligned .

Image source: Photo Network

Don’t think that rectus abdominis separation only occurs in postpartum mothers. Obese men and even babies may also experience this condition .

Image source: Photo Network

Rectus abdominis separation not only affects appearance, but may also cause a series of problems:

1

Low back pain

Rectus abdominis separation weakens the supporting function of the abdominal muscles, causing overcompensation of the lower back muscles, resulting in fatigue or damage to the lower back muscles, so some people feel lower back pain.

Image source: Photo Network

2

Visceroptosis

Weakened abdominal muscles may indirectly cause sagging of internal organs, affecting digestion and respiratory functions.

3

"Big Belly"

Rectus abdominis separation may cause the abdominal contour to bulge outward, affecting body shape.

4

Weakened core strength

The rectus abdominis is part of the core muscle group, which is very important for maintaining abdominal tension and supporting the pelvic floor muscles.

Rectus abdominis separation will weaken core strength . Some people will feel that their abdominal contraction is not strong enough, their abdomen is loose, and there is a feeling of falling, and they may even be afraid to move and exercise .

Additionally, when the core muscles become weak, the pelvic floor muscles may also be affected , which may increase the risk of urine leakage and incontinence when coughing, sneezing, or lifting weights.

Image source: Photo Network

So how do you tell if you have rectus abdominis separation? You can do a simple test at home:

1. Lie flat on the bed, bend your knees, lift your upper body slightly, look at your feet but keep your shoulders on the bed.

2. Relax your abdominal muscles and gently press the center of your abdomen with your fingers.

3. At this time, you can feel the abdominal muscles on both sides squeezing your fingers toward the middle. If you cannot feel your fingers being squeezed, move your fingers to both sides until you find the tense muscles, and then use your fingers to measure the distance between the rectus abdominis muscles on both sides.

4. Test about 5cm above and 2.5cm below the navel.

Image source: Photo Network

Generally speaking, a range of less than 2 finger widths (approximately 2.7 cm) is considered normal .

If you're unsure of your test results, or if the gap is larger than the width of two fingers, it's best to see a doctor for professional evaluation and treatment.

It should be noted that the above method may not be suitable for some patients, especially obese patients or those with deep separation. For patients with obvious symptoms or special body shapes, it is recommended to seek evaluation from a professional doctor.

To repair a separated rectus abdominis, you need to bring the separated muscles closer together. Think of it like rezipping a jacket with a zipper that has broken .

There are many ways to help the rectus abdominis repair, such as:

Rehabilitation exercise training

Under the evaluation and guidance of professional doctors, a personalized rehabilitation plan is developed, including targeted muscle training, posture correction and the use of assistive devices .

Electrical stimulation therapy

Through electrodes on the surface of the skin, mild electrical pulses are sent to the abdominal muscles, stimulating muscle contraction and increasing muscle strength.

Attention! Electrical stimulation can only be used as an adjunct therapy and cannot replace active muscle training or surgical repair .

Diet control

By adjusting your diet reasonably and controlling your weight, you can avoid abdominal fat accumulation to increase intra-abdominal pressure and assist in the repair of the rectus abdominis muscle.

Surgical treatment

Most patients do not require surgical treatment, but for those who do not respond to physical therapy or have severe rectus abdominis separation, surgical repair may be necessary.

In addition, you can also do some abdominal breathing exercises at home👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

When you inhale through your nose, let your abdomen expand slightly, then pause at the highest point and take a deep breath for 1 second.

When you exhale through your mouth, contract your abdomen toward your spine, and pause for 1 second when it contracts to its tightest. Try to keep your chest still during the training. This breathing exercise can be done while lying, sitting, or standing, and can be practiced for 10 to 15 minutes a day.

Breathing training is too simple. Is there any more intense exercise that can help the rectus abdominis muscle recover faster?

Don't panic, don't rush, no matter what kind of exercise, finding the right method is the key! Never exercise blindly.

Wrong exercise methods may cause the rectus abdominis separation to become more and more serious! Exercises that increase abdominal pressure, such as sit-ups, crunches, and lifting heavy objects , may increase the degree of rectus abdominis separation if the timing and movements are incorrect .

If you already have symptoms related to rectus abdominis separation and want to perform targeted exercise training at home, it is best to consult a professional doctor before starting training to check whether you really have rectus abdominis separation and the condition of the rectus abdominis separation , and then perform appropriate abdominal muscle training under the guidance of the doctor.

A friend with a big belly who does not want to reveal his name tested himself

Good news: The rectus abdominis is not separated

Bad news: Simply fat

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts who reviewed this article

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Edit: 100% sweet

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty