Rectus Diastasis

Rectus Diastasis, or diastasis of the rectus, occurs when there is widening or separation of the rectus abdominis muscles. The rectus abdominis muscles run from your rib margin to your pubic bone, there is one muscle on each side and they are commonly referred to as the “six-pack” muscles. Rectus diastasis is not a “true” hernia but occurs when the thick fibrous band between the “six-pack” muscles thins and widens allowing the rectus muscles to move apart. This most commonly occurs in women related to pregnancy as the abdominal wall stretches to accommodate the growing uterus. It can occur with any condition or abdominal obesity that increases the contents or volume inside the abdomen resulting in the stretching of the abdominal wall. Commonly there are minimal problems or a painless midline bulge that appears when you lift your head when lying down, but disappears when flat or standing. Occasionally, the muscle separation is wide and causes dysfunction of the abdominal wall or can have hernias through the thinned section and need to be corrected as part of the surgical plan.