Bird Dog Exercise for Diastasis Recti

The aim is coordinated control rather than closing the gap by force. The exercise may need to be simplified if your abdomen pushes outward or your pelvis twists.

Bird dog begins on hands and knees and gradually adds movement of an arm, a leg, or both. Keeping the ribs, pelvis and spine steady asks the deep abdominal muscles to manage pressure while the limbs move. Diastasis recti is a widening and reduced tension along the midline connective tissue; the visible width alone does not show how well the abdominal wall transfers load.

Start with hands below shoulders and knees below hips. Exhale gently as you slide one foot back, keeping it close to the floor. Progress to lifting that leg only when the midline stays controlled; add the opposite arm later. Reduce the range, return to a heel slide, or stop if you see a ridge or dome, cannot breathe normally, feel pelvic heaviness, leak urine, or develop back or abdominal pain. A postnatal physiotherapist can assess breathing, pressure management and an appropriate progression.

Arrange a clinical assessment if symptoms persist, daily lifting feels poorly supported, or exercise repeatedly causes doming, pain, leakage or pelvic pressure. Seek urgent care for sudden severe abdominal pain, vomiting, or a firm tender bulge that does not ease when you rest, because these features can occur with a trapped hernia and should not be managed by exercise.

Ask whether the movement pattern suits your current recovery, what signs show that pressure is being managed, and which easier variation fits your symptoms. If you notice a localised bulge, ask whether it could be a hernia before adding resistance.