Diastasis Recti in Young Athletes: Should Parents Be Concerned?
By Dr. Mom, Physical Therapist | Raising Whole Athletes
When most people hear the term diastasis recti, they immediately think of pregnancy.
But did you know that young athletes can also experience diastasis recti or poor pressure management through the abdominal wall?
Before you panic, let's clear up one of the biggest misconceptions.
A Small Separation Is Normal
Everyone has a natural space between the right and left abdominal muscles. These muscles are connected by a strong band of connective tissue called the linea alba.
A small separation is completely normal.
In fact, many healthy children and adults have a slight gap between their abdominal muscles without any problems.
The goal isn't to have the muscles touching, it's to have strong connective tissue that creates tension and supports the core during movement.
When Does It Become a Concern?
As a physical therapist, I'm usually less concerned about the width of the separation and more concerned about how well the abdominal wall functions.
Signs that may deserve further evaluation include:
Visible doming or bulging down the middle of the abdomen during sit-ups, planks, or getting out of bed
Difficulty creating good core tension
Poor trunk control
Low back pain
Difficulty transferring force during sports
Poor movement quality
A larger separation with firm connective tissue may function better than a smaller separation with weak, stretchy tissue.
That's why looking at the whole picture is so important.
What Is Abdominal Doming?
Doming occurs when pressure inside the abdomen pushes outward through the middle of the abdominal wall, creating a ridge or bulge.
This doesn't automatically mean an athlete has diastasis recti.
However, it can be a sign that the athlete isn't managing pressure well through their core and may benefit from improving breathing, coordination, and deep core activation.
Why Does This Matter for Athletes?
Your athlete's core is responsible for transferring force between the upper and lower body.
When the core isn't functioning efficiently, it may affect:
Jumping and landing
Sprinting
Throwing
Rotational power
Balance
Overall movement efficiency
A strong core isn't about having visible abs, it's about how well the muscles work together.
Our Experience with Diastasis Recti
This topic is actually personal for our family.
When Cannon was younger, I noticed abdominal doming during certain movements, and after evaluating him, I found he had signs consistent with diastasis recti and poor pressure management.
Instead of avoiding activity, we focused on teaching him how to properly engage his core during movement.
We didn't jump straight into advanced core exercises. We started with the basics.
One of the very first cues I used as a physical therapist was:
"Gently pull your belly button toward your spine."
This cue helped him learn how to activate his transversus abdominis, one of the deep core muscles responsible for stabilizing the trunk and supporting the abdominal wall.
Once he learned to engage these muscles consistently, we gradually progressed to more challenging exercises.
Exercises That Can Help Your Athlete too:
Some of my favorite exercises for improving deep core control include:
Dead Bug
A great exercise for teaching core stability while coordinating the arms and legs. Focus on keeping the ribs down, maintaining a neutral spine, and preventing abdominal doming.
Heel Slides
Heel slides are an excellent beginner exercise for learning to engage the deep core while controlling leg movement. Move slowly and keep gentle abdominal tension throughout the exercise.
Side Plank
Side planks strengthen the obliques, transverse abdominis, glute muscles, and lateral core, all of which contribute to better trunk stability and pressure management.
The goal with each exercise isn't to work until fatigue.
The goal is quality movement with good core engagement and no doming.
Over time, Cannon's abdominal control improved significantly. His doming became much less noticeable, his core strength improved, and he moved with much better control during sports and everyday activities.
Every athlete is different, and not every child with abdominal doming has diastasis recti. That's why a proper evaluation is important. But in Cannon's case, focusing on deep core activation before progressing to more advanced exercises made a tremendous difference.
As both a mom and a physical therapist, this experience reinforced something I already believed:
The strongest athletes aren't the ones who do the hardest exercises first. They're the ones who build the strongest foundation.
🛒 Products We Use for Core Training
These are a few simple tools we use at home to help our athletes build a strong foundation.
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely use and believe provide value to young athletes.
The Bottom Line
A small separation between the abdominal muscles is normal.
What matters most is how well the connective tissue creates tension and how effectively your athlete controls pressure during movement.
If you notice persistent doming, poor core control, or recurring pain, it's worth having your athlete evaluated by a healthcare professional familiar with movement and sports performance.
At Raising Whole Athletes, we believe performance starts with a strong foundation. Before chasing speed, strength, or vertical jump, make sure your athlete can control the body they're training.
Quick Parent Takeaway
✅ A small gap between the abdominal muscles is normal.
✅ Strong connective tissue and good core control are more important than the exact width of the separation.
✅ Teach deep core engagement before progressing to advanced core exercises.
✅ If your athlete consistently demonstrates abdominal doming, consider having them evaluated by a qualified physical therapist.
Want to help your athlete build a stronger core?
Download our free Young Athlete Stability Guide, where we walk you through simple exercises that build the foundation for better movement, stronger performance, and fewer injuries.
💚 We're not just raising athletes, we're raising whole athletes.
Dr. Mom
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