At Every Mother, we teach our clients to safely return to exercise postpartum and protect and strengthen their core and pelvic floor in the process. We’ve found that postpartum cardio plays an important role in getting back into the exercise groove, for more than just its effectiveness in getting back into shape, but also for the mental clarity and boost in mood it provides. Breaking a sweat feels good, but if you are like over 60% of childbearing women who suffer from diastasis recti, you might have some questions about how to incorporate cardio workouts into your routine while keeping your core and pelvic floor safe. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your exercise time.
While most cardio exercises will not worsen diastasis recti, abdominal separation is often accompanied by low back pain and pelvic floor dysfunction - including common symptoms like urinary incontinence, pelvic prolapse and pelvic pain. During postpartum recovery, higher impact cardio exercises pose some risk to your back and pelvic floor, potentially contributing to worse or new symptoms such as low back pain, pelvic prolapse, pelvic pain, and urinary incontinence. Here are some key moves to modify or avoid while resolving diastasis recti.
Postpartum Cardio Exercises to Avoid with Diastasis Recti
Not all cardio exercises are created equal. Many are high impact, exerting forceful pressure on the pelvic floor. Repetitive, high-impact exercises like running and jumping can also contribute to pelvic prolapse and urinary stress incontinence, especially if these activities are performed prior to restoring core strength and function postpartum. For this reason, it is very important to work on restoring core integrity and function before reintroducing high-impact activities into your routine.
Low-impact postpartum cardio workouts like brisk walking, elliptical, or hiking, are both safe and recommended. The key to making low impact exercise safe and even beneficial for core recovery are healthy posture (spine lengthened, pelvis neutral, ribs anchored) and healthy breathing (engage the abs to the spine on every exhalation; allow the abs to relax on every inhalation).
Here are some of the most common postpartum cardio exercises you should avoid (or modify) with diastasis recti.
Anything that is “high impact”
Many cardio exercises can be high impact, exerting forceful pressure on the core and pelvic floor. When the core is lacking strength and stability to manage this pressure, there is a risk of injury. Repetitive, high-impact exercises like running and jumping can also contribute to pelvic prolapse and urinary stress incontinence, especially if these activities are performed prior to restoring core strength and function postpartum. For this reason, it is very important to work on restoring core integrity and function before reintroducing high-impact activities into your routine.
Jumping / Hopping
Until you can conduct activities of daily living without pelvic pressure or low back pain, and until you can sneeze and cough without leaking urine, it is recommended to avoid jumping / hopping as these higher impact activities can exert excessive pressure on the pelvic floor and worsen incontinence, prolapse and low back pain. Less impact (stepping instead of hopping; walking instead of running) is safer overall when you are focused on resolving and avoiding diastasis recti and related symptoms.
Rebounding
Rebounding, or jumping on a trampoline, is a very high impact exercise that challenges the integrity of your core and pelvic floor. This is often too much until your core and pelvic floor are fully healed. Until you are symptom-free in daily life, with no leaking urine when you cough or sneeze, and until you can hop, jump and perform a light jog without experiencing symptoms, I recommend that you avoid rebounding. While performing any high-impact exercise, such as rebounding or jumping, if you feel pelvic pressure, vaginal heaviness, leaking, or urgency to urinate during or after the activity, it is best to avoid.
Intense or Long-Distance Running
Is it safe to run if you have diastasis recti? If you are greater than 12 weeks postpartum with a mild or moderate abdominal separation, the answer is probably yes, but it depends. If you also have a healthy back and stable hips, and if your pelvic floor is reasonably strong (no bladder pressure, leaking, urgency to pee, prolapse or downward pressure when running or jumping), then feel free to give running a try and follow these safety tips:
Health Breathing while Running
- Consciously draw your abdominal muscles up and in toward the spine with every exhalation. This helps protect the back, core and pelvic floor muscles.
- Allow your belly to soften and relax with every inhalation so you can get all the oxygen you need.
Healthy Posture while Running
- Keep your pelvis in neutral alignment: neither tilting forward and splaying the ribs (over-lengthening the front body), nor tucking under and collapsing the spine.
Symptoms to Watch for During of After a Run
- If you feel pelvic pressure, vaginal heaviness, leaking, or urgency to urinate during or after running, then take a break and focus on core and pelvic strengthening for a few weeks. Then give running another try!
To Learn More:
- Check out our Physical Therapist's Guidelines to Running Postpartum and our Running and Postpartum Core Health article for more great tips!
Safe Postpartum Cardio Exercises for Diastasis Recti
Especially when starting out, the key to safe postpartum cardio exercises is to keep it low impact (brisk walking, cycling, or swimming instead of running or jumping), and to train to manage the pressure of impact with proper breathing and core engagement as you work towards healing diastasis recti and becoming stronger. For example, each time you “land” a jump or hop, exhale and engage both your pelvic floor and core with a conscious squeeze and lift of your muscles toward the spine. If you feel any symptoms of pelvic pressure, vaginal heaviness, or leaking urine, then stop and focus on diastasis recti exercise until you strengthen your core and pelvic floor sufficiently to safely manage the high-impact exercise.
Here are some safe exercises to incorporate into your cardio plan while you heal diastasis recti:
Low impact cardio:
Low-impact cardio workouts like brisk walking, elliptical, or hiking, are a great place to start. The key to making low impact exercise safe and even beneficial for core recovery are healthy posture (spine lengthened, pelvis neutral, ribs anchored) and healthy breathing (engage the abs to the spine on every exhalation; allow the abs to relax on every inhalation).
Jogging or Running:
In order to safely resume a jogging or running routine after pregnancy, you must restore strength to the deep abdominal muscles and pelvis so you can prevent injury and move pain-free with sound alignment. Postpartum cardio for diastasis recti is a case-by-case consideration, and it's always best to test the waters before jumping on a treadmill or overexerting yourself by running. Visit our Running and Postpartum Core Health article for guidelines and tips to safely run postpartum.
Indoor Cycling:
This can be a safe and motivating option for low-impact cardio while gradually increasing intensity. While you’re cycling, be mindful of your posture (spine lengthened, pelvis neutral, ribs anchored) and breathing. With each exhalation, engage your abdominals toward the spine. Soften and relax the belly with each inhalation to allow for adequate oxygen uptake.
Dance Cardio:
Dance cardio workouts can be great, as long as you avoid injury-inducing movements. Avoid dance that includes jumping while you are working to restore core strength. On the other hand, ballet will likely require some modifications, especially arabesques and other positions that involve backbends or flare the ribs.
Swimming
Swimming is considered a good exercise for diastasis recti because it is a low-impact form of exercise that can help strengthen the core muscles and the entire body while providing a great cardiovascular workout. Additionally, the resistance provided by the water can help build strength in the muscles of the trunk and improve posture. For most people, the toughest stroke to perform while still recovering from diastasis recti is the butterfly stroke. So start with freestyle and backstroke, and then add breaststroke and eventually butterfly. Be mindful of performing each stroke without straining your back or opening your lower ribs, which can inhibit diastasis recti recovery.
Additional FAQ's About Postpartum Cardio Exercises and Diastasis Recti
We opened up the floor to our community to submit their burning questions about postpartum cardio and diastasis recti, and EM founder Leah Keller is here with all your answers.
Will slow jogging on a treadmill worsen diastasis recti? What about running?
Generally speaking, these activities won’t directly pose a risk to diastasis recti, but they could worsen related symptoms and conditions such as low back pain, pelvic prolapse and urinary incontinence. In order to safely resume a jogging or running routine after pregnancy, you must restore strength to the deep abdominal muscles and pelvis so you can prevent injury and move pain-free with sound alignment.
Visit our Running and Postpartum Core Health article for guidelines and tips to safely run postpartum.
How much walking is needed per week to restore core strength and function?
There is no prescriptive volume of walking necessary to restore the core. A healthy target for overall postpartum fitness is to work up to 30 minutes of brisk walking most days of the week.
For more information, check out the CDC’s guidelines on physical activity for adults.
Are there differences in postpartum cardio for vaginal versus c-section delivery?
Regardless of the type of birth, pregnancy itself exerts some stretching and strain on the pelvic floor musculature and abdominals. A surgically assisted delivery often requires more time to heal before resuming cardio, so be patient and gracious with yourself. Follow the guidance of your doctor or midwife and listen to your body.
Check out the ABCs of core-training and the Exercises to Avoid After a C-section.
Can I go back to my regular workouts once my diastasis recti is resolved?
Some exercises will always carry the potential to re-injure your connective tissue. Implementing the principles learned in EMbody Reclaim is a great way to modify workouts that would otherwise put stress on your connective tissue. However, EMbody Surpass offers high energy, progressively challenging workouts for those looking to make greater fitness gains while building core strength and avoiding re-injury. From high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to cardio strength, from core intensive workouts to yoga, we’ll help you break a sweat, meet or even surpass your fitness goals, move easefully and maintain core integrity.
Learn More About Diastasis Recti and Diastasis Recti Exercises
A regular exercise routine can help, or even heal entirely, diastasis recti symptoms. But, before doing what you’ve always done before, it’s good to know which diastasis recti exercises are considered safe, and which might actually make your condition worse.
Check out some of our other articles to learn more about diastasis recti exercises, and begin to reclaim your body today.
- Diastasis Recti 101: What is Diastasis Recti? Everything You Need to Know
- How to Check for Diastasis Recti
- How to Fix Diastasis Recti
- Can You Heal Diastasis Recti Years Later? It's Never Too Late!
- Diastasis Recti Symptoms: Causes, Treatment, and Next Steps
- Diastasis Recti Exercises: What’s Safe and What’s Not?
- Cardio Exercises with Diastasis Recti
- Pilates for Diastasis Recti: Are You Helping or Hurting Your Core?
- Yoga Exercises for Diastasis Recti
Sources:
- Sperstad, J. B. (2016, September 1). Diastasis recti abdominis during pregnancy and 12 months after childbirth: prevalence, risk factors and report of lumbopelvic pain. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/17/1092
- Move More; Sit Less. (2021, August 27). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm
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