Hypopressive exercises and diastasis recti: what you should know

Diastasis recti is a widening and thinning of the connective tissue between the abdominal muscles. It can appear after pregnancy and may cause a midline ridge or doming when sitting up, reduced trunk support, back discomfort, or difficulty coordinating the abdominal and pelvic-floor muscles. The size of a visible gap does not fully describe strength or function.

Hypopressive practice combines posture, rib-cage breathing, and an abdominal manoeuvre performed without straining. Some rehabilitation programmes use it as one part of a broader plan, but technique matters and it is not suitable for everyone. A trained clinician can check whether the exercise matches your recovery stage and symptoms.

Begin with an assessment by a physiotherapist familiar with postnatal abdominal and pelvic-floor recovery. Learn gentle breathing, alignment, transfers, lifting, and progressive deep-core activation before adding more demanding exercises. Avoid exercises that cause doming, pain, pelvic pressure, leaking, or breathlessness. A Postnatal Physiotherapy plan can be adapted after a caesarean birth, vaginal birth, abdominal surgery, or another cause of separation.

Arrange an assessment for persistent abdominal pain, a painful or growing bulge, marked weakness, urinary or bowel-control changes, or symptoms that worsen with exercise. Seek urgent care for severe sudden pain, vomiting, a firm tender bulge that will not reduce, or difficulty passing stool or gas. These features may need evaluation for a hernia or another problem rather than exercise adjustment alone.

Ask whether your abdominal wall has healed enough for hypopressive work, how to breathe without straining, and which movements should be paused. Request clear signs of progress beyond measuring the gap, such as improved control, comfortable lifting, and less doming during daily activity.