Repair of recti diastasis to decrease back pain

by Sandra
(Miami, Fl)

I want to add to this discussion that some women are unable to strengthen their core stomach muscles simply by exercising. This medical problem is caused by child birth which most often damages these muscles beyond repair with simple exercises.

Such damage is medically documented. When a woman has a large baby or multiple births, the resulting muscle injury causes the recti abdominus (the two front vertical stomach muscles) to stretch beyond use. This is called recti diastasis and can be repaired only by surgery.

The surgery is often called a tummy tuck. Most women don't realize the medical necessity of this surgery. Most insurance companies won't even cover the surgery calling it cosmetic in nature. Without the surgery, the muscles remain slack and often continue to deteriorate. Any resulting back pain only worsens as the woman ages.

This information needs to be added to any discussion about protecting yourself from lower back pain. It is important that women be educated about this medical problem and not be made to feel that they are merely vain for wanting the repair surgery.

And finally, it is imperative that we fight the insurance industry in this country that refuses to pay for such medically necessary surgery. I would guess that such decisions were made by males who have never suffered from this muscle injury.