Every woman should know about rectus abominis diastasis (RAD), as research says that 100% of pregnant women have a pathological gap (over 2 cm) between their straight abdominal muscles in the 35th week of their pregnancy [1]. This, of course, can be physiological, as the growing baby need space. However, the same research also showed that 39% of women had RAD even after 6 months of giving birth. This means that 39% of mothers are affected by RAD, which is quite significant. Moreover, we haven’t even mentioned men and RAD developing without pregnancy. Some researches has targeted restoring RAD with pyhsical exercise. Some of these proved beneficial, but in some research there were no development agains the control group [2,3,4]. However, these series of exercises contained such elements which prove to be forbidden in Rectus Training Method (RTM). Therefore, in my opinion, these researches need to be handled with appopriate critique. RTM is a method developed by a trainer (Renáta Tőkés) and a gynecologist (M.D Tímea Kerekes). This is the very first method with a doctor and a trainer behind. RTM exercises train straight abdominal muscles by activating the side abdominal muscles, so it doesn’t let the connective tissue stretch further. RTM is a very well-built training method because it strains the muscles which were not used during pregnancy gradually, it takes postpartum changes and personal problems into consideration. They start the training with a correct examination, which takes hernia into account, too. It also emphasizes post-training tracking, so that the exercises can be easily personalized. This is a good training for small or big gaps, too. They have already achieved significant achievements, we are only waiting for the publication of their results. My personal experience says that they pay careful attention to their clients, as well as educating them. This is important, because RAD patients tissues have stretched, they will not resume to their original status, so these patients have to deal with this problem for the rest of their lives and they need to learn correct posture and training. Based on the above, I highly recommend this method to every women and men who suffer from rectus abdominis diastasis.

 

 

I’ve qualified as a physiotherapist at the college in Pécs in 2009. We covered the topics of basis pelvis and perinaealis and also training for expectant mothers more at our gynecology/obstetrics lectures and seminars. Rectus Diastasis may have been mentioned once, but we didn’t get any information about regeneration. My second child was born in 2016 in Versailles, where I used to work, at Hôpital André Mignot. My former colleagues told me they didn’t study open abdominal muscles, either, during their studies. Finally, I found RTM online. I had 2-3 fingers wide opening, which I could work back to 1-1,5 fingers wide with the help of the online videos. From then on, I was certain I wanted to do the trainer training as soon as I can. I am still amazed that pursuing these exercises 1-2 times a week can result in such changes even after one month that mothers do not even think about stopping and they feel the positive change, too. One of the most convincing achievement of the method is that a lumbar pain which appears after giving birth, which lasted for years can ease up or even disappear with the help of RTM exercises. This is a pain which, in many cases, doesn’t get better even with manual therapy or spinal gymnastics. The first sign with each mother with lumbar pain who does the RTM training will report the relief from the pain. This is then the best motivation for continuing the training. Since I’ve been posting success stories of the method as an RTM trainer and the head of the German RTM, many of my former physiotherapy classmates have consulted me with their post natal problems and asked for help. Every single time we talk, we are amazed at how this topic was abandoned during our studies.