If you’re looking to return to running, but think you have a Diastasis Recti Abdominis (DRA) or have been recently diagnosed with one, you are in the right place. DRA is a separation of your abdominal muscles that is extremely common surrounding pregnancy. According to What to Expect, 50% of women experience DRA during pregnancy or after giving birth. While coming back from DRA may sound intimidating, studies show that a physical therapy exercise program reduces DRA separation and increases your running speed, even after having a baby [1].

Following pregnancy, return to any physical exercise or strenuous activity should be cleared by your OB/GYN first. Most of the time, this clearance is given around the 6-week post-partum mark. However, if you had a C-section or complications during delivery, your body may need more time to heal. More healing time is not a bad thing and does not mean you will not be able to return to the activities you love.

If you’re thinking about returning to running specifically, check in with your doctor or your physical therapist (PT) first. You would be checked to see if you have DRA and how large a separation you have. The degree of separation you have will determine your best path forward.

A physical therapist for diastasis recti would also be looking at the stability of your pelvis and making sure that you have enough muscle strength to get started. Your PT can give you guidelines on how long, how fast, and how far you should be running so you can lace up successfully.

Physical therapy would begin with an evaluation to see exactly where your body is starting off. The Mayo Clinic agrees that PT can help, and your PT should be able to build an exercise program for your abdominal muscles that will help decrease the separation and increase your strength.

PT would also help point out activities that you may be doing that may be sustaining your DRA without your knowledge. With a couple of sessions or weeks of PT under your belt, your PT should be able to help transition you back into pre-running activities or running itself.

So now let’s talk about a real-live human. I began seeing Rachel (Name changed to protect patient privacy) 6-weeks after she delivered her first baby, a son. She was eager to return to running and HIIT (high intensity interval training), but wanted to ensure that she was able to do so safely.

At her first session, we found a DRA around her belly button. A DRA is typically measured using your fingers as a ruler. She had a 2-finger width traveling from head to toe and a 2-finger width going side to side. While 2-finger width is considered to be normal, I strive for less to get the best possible ab strength for my patients.

With core progressions and global strengthening, we were able to resolve her DRA and commence her jogging trial after 6 weeks of PT!

If you’d like to work with Dr. Jenny Prewitt, PT, DPT, OCS, please click here.

1. Yes, you can return to running if you have DRA.
2. Check in with your OB/GYN if you’re less than 3 months post-partum to make sure that you are cleared for physical exercise and strenuous activity.
3. Find an awesome PT that can design an exercise program tailored just for you and get you back to running!

If you’re looking for even more information about DRA, Healthline gives an excellent overview on this condition. Or you can reach out to Dr. Jenny via our contact page.

1. https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-health/diastasis-recti-and-pregnancy/#:~:text=It%20occurs%20when%20the%20right,diastasis%20recti%20after%20giving%20birth.)
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/diastasis-recti/faq-20057825
3. https://www.healthline.com/health/diastasis-recti#prevention
4. Deering, Rita E. DPT, PhD1,2; Chumanov, Elizabeth S. PT, PhD3; Stiffler-Joachim, Mikel R. MS2; Heiderscheit, Bryan C. PT, PhD2 Exercise Program Reduces Inter-Recti Distance in Female Runners Up to 2 Years Postpartum, Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy: January/March 2020 – Volume 44 – Issue 1 – p 9-18