Checking yourself for diastasis recti (DR) can feel like a guessing game. One day, your gap measures 2 finger-widths. The next day, it seems smaller. A week later, it’s back to 3. What’s actually going on? Is your gap really changing this much?
Likely not. The diastasis recti self-test is imperfect, with several variables that can affect your results. Perhaps even more surprising is that the width of your gap is not the most telling indicator of DR severity.
In this post, we’ll walk you through exactly how to perform the DR self-assessment, what to look for beyond just finger-widths, and how to get the most accurate results possible.
Read on to learn:
- When to check yourself for DR
- What to look for in the DR self-check
- How to perform the DR self-check step by step
- Tips for improving your testing accuracy
Quick Answer: When checking for diastasis recti, you are assessing two things: width (how many fingers fit between the ridges of your rectus abdominis) and depth (how shallow and springy, or soft and deep, the gap feels when you press down on it). To perform the check, lie on your back with your knees bent and one hand behind your head. Place two fingers just below your sternum with your palm facing your head, then slowly walk them down your midline as you exhale and lift your head about one inch. For the most accurate results, wait until at least 6 weeks postpartum to check.
When to Check for Diastasis Recti
We recommend waiting until at least 6 weeks postpartum to perform the DR self-check. Every person will have some degree of DR in the immediate aftermath of delivery, which will heal a bit on its own in the weeks that follow. So, waiting at least 6 weeks will give you a more accurate picture of where you actually stand.
While you can check for DR during pregnancy, it’s important to understand that some degree of DR is a normal and necessary part of pregnancy in order to create space for baby to grow. So, just recognize that if you are checking later in your pregnancy, you will likely have it, but that means your body is doing what it is designed to do.
What to Look For in the Diastasis Recti Self-Check
Before getting into how to perform the test, it helps to know what you’re actually looking for.
Diastasis Recti is a separation of the left and right sides of the rectus abdominis (“6-pack”) muscle. Therefore, the first thing to assess is how far apart those two sides are. While there is no standard definition of DR, the most widely accepted definition is a gap width of 2.7 cm (approximately 2 finger widths) or greater. In other words, if you can fit two or more fingers in between the left and right “ridges” of your rectus abdominis muscle, this would be considered DR.
Most people assume this is the only thing to assess. However, research suggests that the depth of separation can be a more telling indicator of DR severity than width (Lee & Hodges, 2016). The depth of separation refers to what the tissue feels like when you press down on it. When you press down on your gap, if it feels shallow or springy—similar to the tissue under your chin when you lift your head—that’s a good sign. It indicates that the linea alba (the tissue that connects the left and right sides of the rectus abdominis muscle) still has good integrity.
However, if your gap feels soft and deep, with little resistance when you press down — more like the tissue in your cheek — this is a sign of a more compromised linea alba tissue, which may mean a longer recovery process.
When factoring in both measurements, depth carries more weight than width. For example, a gap that is 3 fingers wide and shallow will likely heal faster than one that is 2 fingers wide and deep.
How to Check Yourself for Diastasis Recti
The steps below walk you through the full DR self-check. If you are a fitness professional looking to assess clients, please see How to Check a Client for DR.
- Transition onto your back safely: To reduce pressure on your core, roll to your side first, then onto your back. Lie with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and one hand behind your head. Place the fingers of your other hand just below your sternum, with your palm facing your head.
- Check yourself at rest first: Before lifting your head, walk your fingers slowly down your midline to about 2 inches below your navel. Notice what the tissue feels like at rest. Does it feel springy when you press on it, or soft and deep with little resistance? This gives you a baseline to compare against the next step.
- Perform the head lift check: Take a big inhale and, on the exhale, lift your head about one inch off the ground. As you continue to exhale, slowly walk your fingers down your midline — just as you did at rest. Rest as needed, then exhale and lift again to continue. Check all the way down to about 2 inches below your navel, assessing for two things:
- Width: How many fingers can you fit between the left and right ridges of your rectus abdominis? Note the widest point, which is typically at the navel, but not always.
- Depth: How does the tissue feel as you press down? A gap that feels shallow, springy, and taut is a good sign. A gap that feels soft, squishy, and deep indicates more compromised tissue.
- Compare to your at-rest check: Did the tissue feel different — tighter or shallower — during the head lift (step #3) than it did at rest (step #2)? If so, that’s a positive sign. It means that your linea alba can still generate tension. If you felt little to no difference, this may indicate more compromised tissue.
- Roll to your side to get up: Transition safely by rolling to your side before sitting up.
Prefer to see it in action? Watch the video demo below.
Tips for Improving Your Testing Accuracy
As mentioned, the DR test is an imperfect one, with several variables that can impact results. To improve your testing accuracy, follow the step-by-step process outlined above, and these additional tips:
- Skip the test if you are bloated or have eaten within the last hour. Bloating pushes the abdominal contents forward, which can artificially widen your gap.
- Exhale as you lift your head, not after. For the most accurate results, begin your exhale a split second before the head lift, completing it as you lift. Exhaling after your head is already up will skew your results.
- Lift your head no more than one inch. Lifting too high causes the gap to close slightly, which can make the gap appear smaller than it actually is. Lift only to the point where you feel your abdominal muscles engage — typically about an inch off the ground.
- Apply consistent pressure each time you check. How firmly you press down affects what you feel. Try to use the same pressure every time so your results are comparable.
- When in doubt, assume DR. In some cases — particularly when there is excess abdominal fat — the test can be difficult to perform accurately. In that case, assume DR and begin core recovery work. The deep core exercises involved are beneficial at any stage, so starting them is always a good move.
Resources for Healing Diastasis Recti
To help you kickstart healing, explore our article on postpartum core recovery. For a deeper dive, our Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist Certification teaches you a step-by-step core recovery protocol to heal DR and rebuild the core from the inside out.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Diastasis Recti Self-Check
How do I know how severe my diastasis recti is? Most people assume that a wider gap means more severe DR, but gap width alone doesn’t tell the full story. Depth of separation (how shallow & taut or soft and deep your gap feels when you press down on it) is actually a more telling indicator of severity. For a full explanation of both measurements, see the “What to Check For” section above.
Can you check for DR during pregnancy? Yes, though keep in mind that some degree of DR is a normal and necessary part of pregnancy. If you check later in pregnancy and find a gap, that is not cause for alarm. Your body is doing exactly what it is designed to do. For more on DR during pregnancy, see our article, Diastasis Recti During Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms, and Management.
Can DR be fixed, even years after pregnancy? The short answer is YES. You can absolutely heal diastasis recti at any point — even if you’ve had it for years — because the core tissues that were stressed during pregnancy will respond to the type of inputs you give it. This means that with the right training, you can strengthen your deep core so that it functions at a very high level, allowing you to do the activities that you love. The more nuanced answer to this question depends on how you define “fixed” (or healed). Learn more in our article, Can You Fix Diastasis Recti, Even Years Later?
Can DR be prevented during pregnancy? While some degree of DR is inevitable (and necessary) during pregnancy, you can minimize the severity of it and set yourself up for a faster postpartum recovery. Learn more in our article, Can You Prevent Diastasis Recti During Pregnancy?
Sources:
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Lee, D., & Hodges, P. W. (2016). Behavior of the Linea Alba During a Curl-up Task in Diastasis Rectus Abdominis: An Observational Study. The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy, 46(7), 580–589.
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Spitznagle, T. M., Leong, F. C., & Van Dillen, L. R. (2007). Prevalence of diastasis recti abdominis in a urogynecological patient population. International urogynecology journal, 18(3), 321-328.