10 THINGS TO AVOID WHEN CLOSING YOUR DIASTASIS

10 THINGS TO AVOID WHEN CLOSING YOUR DIASTASIS

Closing a Diastasis doesn’t just happen overnight, it is hard work! But if you are committed to the Tupler Technique®, you WILL see results!   However, we do get emails from clients doing the program on their own who are having trouble getting the results they desire. This can be due to a number of factors, which is why we came up with the Tupler Ten!

The following are 10 possible reasons why you are not seeing the results you desire while on the Tupler Technique® Program.

  • Sports and Exercise: Certain recreational activities, such as tennis or golf, can actually cause or worsen a diastasis. This is why in the first 6 weeks, we encourage our clients to only do light cardio (ie: walking on a treadmill). Exercise is only incorporated once the transverse is stronger in week six of the program.
  • Getting Up/Sitting Down Correctly: The proper way to get up and down while healing your diastasis is reviewed on the DVD. But often, clients think that just one “jackknife” or sudden movement every once in a while can’t hurt their progress. This is wrong! One “jackknife” movement can undo 3 weeks of work! Roll backs are also movements that can impede the healing process.
  • Not wearing the splint all of the time: It takes a while to become accustomed to the splint, but if you wear it constantly (save for 15 minutes of bathing time a day) you will see the results! Think of it as a cast that is aligning your bones properly to heal. You wouldn’t take a cast off, the same goes for the splint. You need to make friends with it!
  • Not wearing the splint correctly: This can greatly affect your progress, as well as the durability of the splint. Please watch our video on how to put it on very carefully and several times.  So many of our clients put it on incorrectly. Remember, it is important to attach the arms in the right place.  Putting the splint on in front of a mirror will help with proper placement.
  • Being inconsistent with your exercises: The program is designed to strengthen the transverse muscle and close the diastasis. This takes time and dedication. If you are inconsistent with your exercises, your muscles will not see the benefit as much as if you are doing your exercises regularly. You must do the amount of the seated exercises that is recommended in the program. Remember doing the exercises will bring blood flow to the connective tissue besides making your transverse muscle strong enough to use it with activities of daily living and when exercising in week six of the program.
  • Day to Day Activities: You need to be aware of your transverse muscle at all times!  You use your transverse muscle with every move you make. So if you don’t consciously engage it and you are still using it, then you are putting force on the weak connective tissue. So please be aware of continuously holding it in while doing activities of daily living. Don’t bend over to pick up your child. If you child is mobile have them climb to your level and lift them from there.  If you have to pick them up, do so with a flat back.
  • Quality of Connective Tissue: Everyone’s connective tissue is not the same quality. Weaker connective tissue will take longer to heal.  Hormones such as relaxin (pregnancy related) or steroid injections weaken the connective tissue. Multiple births and steroid treatments will weaken connective tissue. Naturally flexible people and people that get stretch marks also have weaker connective tissue. Weaker connective tissue takes longer to heal. So please… hang in there if you have any of the above!
  • Size of your Diastasis: Just like everyone’s connective tissue varies, so does the size of each diastasis. Someone going from a diastasis that is going from a 6 finger diastasis to a 3 finger diastasis will see a greater difference than someone who is going from a 2 finger diastasis to a 1 finger diastasis. But the goal is closing the diastasis, no matter the size!
  • Only Wearing the Splint or Only Doing the Exercises: A lot of prospective customers think only wearing the splint will close the diastasis. This is not true. The exercises and the splint work together to close the diastasis. You will not see the results you desire by only choosing one over the other. If you are not able to wear a splint because of medical concerns, holding splint (the arms of a jacket or sweater) while doing the exercises will help you progress.
  • Mind over Matter: Most often, the biggest obstacle to completing the program is getting in the right mindset. Life is too busy, you don’t want to wear the splint, you don’t want to do the exercises, etc. But if you are committed to closing your diastasis and you can challenge yourself to get the results you desire, you will be successful! Take your before photos. This will motivate you in doing the program. When doing the seated exercises have them be a “muscle meditation” for you. That way you will look forward to doing them!
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