Perfect crunching form won’t fix your “mom pooch”—it might be making it worse. Physical therapists across the country are seeing dedicated women who’ve been doing hundreds of crunches for months, only to watch their belly bulge become more pronounced.
The culprit isn’t your willpower or technique. It’s a medical condition called diastasis recti, and traditional ab exercises can literally push your muscles further apart.
Diastasis recti occurs when your rectus abdominis muscles—those coveted “six-pack” muscles—separate at the midline due to weakened connective tissue. Up to 60 percent of women experience this during pregnancy or postpartum, according to medical literature.
But here’s the kicker: when you perform a crunch with separated abdominal muscles, the intra-abdominal pressure has nowhere to go except forward through that weakened tissue, creating the exact bulge you’re trying to eliminate. Think of it like squeezing a tube of toothpaste with a crack in it—the pressure finds the weak spot and pushes through.
Beyond the visible bulge, diastasis recti causes:
- Lower back pain from compromised core support
- Difficulty engaging abdominal muscles during daily activities
- Urinary stress incontinence linked to pelvic floor dysfunction
- Constant abdominal discomfort during exercise or lifting
- Overall feeling of core instability and weakness
The Right Way to Rebuild Your Core
Evidence-based exercises focus on stabilization over flexion for lasting results.
Research shows that physiotherapy may be more helpful for functional improvement than cosmetic improvement, but both outcomes are possible with proper technique. The secret lies in stabilization exercises that teach your core to brace and support rather than flex.
Physical therapists recommend the “drawing-in maneuver” as a foundation: lie on your back with knees bent, exhale completely, then draw your belly button toward your spine without moving your ribcage. This engages the transverse abdominis—your deepest core muscle that functions like a natural corset, pulling everything inward.
Other evidence-based exercises include dead bugs, bird dogs, modified planks, and pelvic tilts. These movements challenge your core to stabilize against resistance rather than creating the harmful pressure that worsens separation.
The revelation that exercise type matters more than quantity comes as relief to many women who blamed themselves for a persistent belly bulge. Working with a physical therapist specializing in postpartum recovery can accelerate results, but the key insight remains: stop fighting your anatomy and start supporting it.
