Physiotherapy Review
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ISSN: 2719-5139
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2/2025
vol. 29
 
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Review paper

Physiotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of diastasis recti abdominis: a narrative review

Aleksandra Katarzyna Nowakowska
1
,
Magdalena Nowak
1
,
David Liska
2
,
Izabela Spielvogel
3

  1. Doctoral School of Opole University of Technology, Opole, Poland
  2. Department of Physical Education and Sport, Matej Bel University, Banská Bystrica, Slovak Republic
  3. Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, Opole, Poland
Physiotherapy Review, 2025, 29(2), 5-14
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/phr.2025.152194
Online publish date: 2025/06/26
Article file
- art1_2_2025.pdf  [0.22 MB]
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1. Sartori A, Tfaily A, Botteri E, Andreuccetti J, Lauro E, Caliskan G, et al. Rectus muscle diastasis in Italian women: determinants of disease severity, and associated disorders. Front Surg. 2024; 11: 1360207.
2. Radhakrishnan M, Ramamurthy K. Efficacy and challenges in the treatment of diastasis recti abdominis—a scoping review on the current trends and future perspectives. Diagnostics. 2022; 12 (9): 2044.
3. Benjamin DR, Van De Water ATM, Peiris CL. Effects of exercise on diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle in the antenatal and postnatal periods: a systematic review. Physiotherapy. 2014; 100 (1): 1–8.
4. Skoura A, Billis E, Papanikolaou DT, Xergia S, Tsarbou C, Tsekoura M, et al. Diastasis recti abdominis rehabilitation in the postpartum period: a scoping review of current clinical practice. Int Urogynecol J. 2024; 35 (3): 491–520
5. Keshwani N, Mathur S, McLean L. Relationship between interrectus distance and symptom severity in women with diastasis recti abdominis in the early postpartum period. Phys Ther. 2018; 98 (3): 182–190.
6. Wu L, Gu Y, Gu Y, Wang Y, Lu X, Zhu C, et al. Diastasis recti abdominis in adult women based on abdominal computed tomography imaging: Prevalence, risk factors and its impact on life. J Clin Nurs. 2021; 30 (3–4): 518–527.
7. Laframboise FC, Schlaff RA, Baruth M. Postpartum Exercise Intervention Targeting Diastasis Recti Abdominis. Int J Exerc Sci. 2021; 14 (3): 400–409.
8. Eriksson Crommert M, Petrov Fieril K, Gustavsson C. Women’s experiences of living with increased inter-recti distance after childbirth: an interview study. BMC Womens Health. 2020; 20 (1): 260.
9. Gluppe S, Ellström Engh M, Kari B. What is the evidence for abdominal and pelvic floor muscle training to treat diastasis recti abdominis postpartum? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Braz J Phys Ther. 2021; 25 (6): 664–675.
10. Laframboise FC, Schlaff RA, Baruth M. Postpartum exercise intervention targeting diastasis recti abdominis. Int J Exerc Sci. 2021; 14 (3): 400–409.
11. Belo M, Melo A, Delgado A, Costa A, Anísio V, Lemos A. The digital caliper’s interrater reliability in measuring the interrecti distance and its accuracy in diagnosing the diastasis of rectus abdominis muscle in the third trimester of pregnancy. J Chiropr Med. 2020; 19 (2): 136–144.
12. Qu E, Wu J, Zhang M, Wu L, Zhang T, Xu J, et al. The ultrasound diagnostic criteria for diastasis recti and its correlation with pelvic floor dysfunction in early postpartum women. Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2021; 11 (2): 706–713.
13. Radhakrishnan M, Ramamurthy K. Efficacy and challenges in the treatment of diastasis recti abdominis—a scoping review on the current trends and future perspectives. Diagnostics. 2022; 12 (9): 2044.
14. Chen B, Zhao X, Hu Y. Rehabilitations for maternal diastasis recti abdominis: An update on therapeutic directions. Heliyon. 2023; 9 (10): e20956.
15. Michalska A, Rokita W, Wolder D, Pogorzelska J, Kaczmarczyk K. Diastasis recti abdominis—a review of treatment methods. Ginekol Pol. 2018; 89 (2): 97–101.
16. Gluppe S, Ellström Engh M, Kari B. Women with diastasis recti abdominis might have weaker abdominal muscles and more abdominal pain, but no higher prevalence of pelvic floor disorders, low back and pelvic girdle pain than women without diastasis recti abdominis. Physiotherapy. 2021; 111: 57–65.
17. Gluppe SB, Ellström Engh M, Bø K. Curl-up exercises improve abdominal muscle strength without worsening inter-recti distance in women with diastasis recti abdominis postpartum: a randomised controlled trial. J Physiother. 2023; 69 (3): 160–167.
18. Thabet AA, Alshehri MA. Efficacy of deep core stability exercise program in postpartum women with diastasis recti abdominis: a randomised controlled trial. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2019; 19 (1): 62–68.
19. Walton LM, Costa A, LaVanture D, McIlrath S, Stebbins B. The effects of a 6-week dynamic core stability plank exercise program compared to a traditional supine core stability strengthening program 14 Physiotherapy Review | Volume XXIX Issue 2/2025 on diastasis recti abdominis closure, pain, oswestry disability index (ODI) and pelvic floor disability index scores (PFDI). Phys Ther Rehabil. 2016; 3 (1): 3.
20. Saleem Z, Khan AA, Farooqui SI, Yasmeen R, Rizvi J. Effect of exercise on inter-recti distance and associated low back pain among postpartum females; a randomized controlled trial. J Family Reprod Health. 2021; 15 (3): 170–176.
21. Gürşen C, İnanoğlu D, Kaya S, Akbayrak T, Baltacı G. Effects of exercise and kinesio taping on abdominal recovery in women with cesarean section: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2016; 293 (3): 557–565.
22. Tuttle LJ, Fasching J, Keller A, Patel M, Saville C, Schlaff R, et al. Noninvasive treatment of postpartum diastasis recti abdominis: a pilot study. J Womens Health Phys Ther. 2018; 42 (2): 65–75.
23. Lee N, Bae YH, Fong SSM, Lee WH. Effects of Pilates on inter-recti distance, thickness of rectus abdominis, waist circumference and abdominal muscle endurance in primiparous women. BMC Womens Health. 2023; 23 (1): 548.
24. Li Q, Lei S, Liu Y, Liu Q, Chen Y, Lin X, et al. Effectiveness of yoga on the interrectus distance in early postpartum women: a high-frequency ultrasound study. Biomed Res Int. 2022; 2022: 1–8.
25. Liu Y, Zhu Y, Jiang L, Lu C, Xiao L, Wang T, et al. Efficacy of electro-acupuncture in postpartum with diastasis recti abdominis: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Front Public Health. 2022; 10: 1003361.
26. Kirk B, Elliott-Burke T. The effect of visceral manipulation on diastasis recti abdominis (DRA): a case series. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2021; 26: 471–480.
27. Mommers EHH, Ponten JEH, Al Omar AK, De Vries Reilingh TS, Bouvy ND, Nienhuijs SW. The general surgeon’s perspective of rectus diastasis. A systematic review of treatment options. Surg Endosc. 2017; 31 (12): 4934–4949.
28. Manetti G, Lolli MG, Belloni E, Nigri G. A new minimally invasive technique for the repair of diastasis recti: a pilot study. Surg Endosc. 2021; 35 (7): 4028– 4034.
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