Diastasis Rectus Abdominis - An Introduction

Diastasis Rectus Abdominis (DRA) is a separation of the rectus abdominis muscle due to thinning and weakening of Linea Alba, the central seam of connective tissue fascia in the abdominal muscles. It’s been reported that over 40% of postpartum women present with Diastasis Rectus Abdominis (DRA) at their 1-year check-up (Mota et al. 2015) needing specialist rehabilitation (Coldron et al. 2008). although DRA also occurs in nulliparous women and some men (Parker et al. 2008).

While some vocal practitioners claim that they can fully ‘’close the gap’’ in fact clinicians still haven't pinpointed what the ‘normal’ inter-recti distance (IRD) is (Gillard et al. 2018). So what are the measurements we can use to understand better integrity of the abdominal wall and its function?

In this lecture, Biljana will present the current evidence and emerging research behind the diagnostics that have changed the way we assess and quantify DRA (Lee and Hodges, 2016). By providing personal insights and the most recent academic research on DRA rehabilitation techniques she will outline current best practice in DRA assessment and treatment.

As part of the lecture, Biljana will also demonstrate a holistic and structured assessment tool for DRA patients (Donnelly, 2019) that provides greater confidence in selecting the optimal rehabilitation approach and that signals when surgery may be necessary.

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