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Can You Fix Tummy Muscles Without Surgery?

asked 2 years ago by K0rka in new mexico
Latest answer by Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Question viewed 3,943 times
Tags: abdomen, muscle

I was told by a plastic surgeon I have severe separation of the abdominal muscles and should seek surgery. Is it possible to fix these muscles without?

17 answers to Can You Fix Tummy Muscles Without Surgery?

Fixing muscles without surgery

Muscles separate after surgery because of two reasons. One is ripping of the fascia. No amount of exercise fixes this. The other reason is inactivity, causing loss of tone of the abdomen. If you have exercised and don't see the abdominal tone improving, it may time for surgery.

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

Non-surgical repair of rectus abdominis diastasis

There are some individuals that claim they can achieve improvements in the rectus muscle diastasis through special exercises. Having a good understanding of the anatomy, I don't understand how this is possible.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Repair of separated abdominal muscles is a routine part of abdominoplasty

Usually, separation of the abdominal muscles is a result of pregnancy, and can only be corrected with surgery. Frequently there might also be excess skin of the abdomen and areas of fatty deposition and all these problems can be corrected with abdominoplasty and liposuction. The excess skin of the lower abdomen is directly removed, the muscles are tightened, and liposuction removes fat from the hips, waist and back areas, and the upper abdomen for a firmer, flatter tummy and a better... more

Michael D. Yates, MD
Huntsville Plastic Surgeon

Correction of separation of tummy muscles requires surgery

The condition your plastic surgeon describes is called rectus diastasis, or the separation of abdominal muscles. This is a common condition in women who have been pregnant. Unfortunately, sit ups or any other form of abdominal strengthening exercises will not correct the problem. Surgery is the only answer.

David A. Robinson, MD
Munster Plastic Surgeon

Do I need surgery to repair muscle separation in abdomen?

Hi there- Diastasis recti, the condition common to mothers produced by pregnancy and characterized by the separation of the rectus abdominis (situp muscles) in the center of the body, can only be repaired through surgery. There is no amount or intensity of exercise, or non-surgical treatment that will return the muscles to their pre-pregnancy condition and your abdomen to the appearance you likely desire. While this is not, I'm sure, what you wanted to hear, I do think that if what you want... more

Armando Soto, MD
Orlando Plastic Surgeon

www.DrArmandoSoto.com

Abdominal Muscles

If you have separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis), then you would need a surgical operation to repair this. There are no medications or exercise which are an alternative solution.

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Fixing tummy muscles without surgery

If your vertical stomach muscles are separated, they will not go back on their own. Often after pregnancy, those muscles are pushed apart, and do not return to their original position. I believe your options are to leave it alone, or consider a procedure to sew the muscles back together. The most important part of getting a good result from plastic surgery, is the surgeon you choose.

Darrick E. Antell, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Surgery is needed to fix diastasis recti

No exercise will help bring separated abdominal wall muscles back together. Abdominal wall crunches and sit-ups can help strengthen the muscle, but will not bring them closer to the mid-line. Tummy tuck is the optimal surgery for correcting this; the incision is placed in a well-camouflaged location and the entire abdominal can be visualized and repaired. Hope this helps. Best of luck.

Sam Jejurikar, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Plastic Surgery shouldn't be a shortcut

Unfortunately, for severely spread muscles, exercise alone won't bring them back together, so I agree with what has already been posted. However, I don't want other people who read this to give up on exercise and think that a tummy tuck is the only answer. Patients who get themselves in the best possible shape through diet and exercise prior to plastic surgery usually have the best possible results from addressing the residual areas that have not responded. For many women who have... more

Jason Brett Lichten, MD
Columbus Plastic Surgeon

Abdomen muscles need surgery to repair separation

The other plastic surgeons are all right on the money. Once the two front abdomen muscles seprarate, usually from pregnancy there is an area between the muscles in the center line of the abdomen that has no muscle any more. It is not as if exercise can get the muscles to grow back together in the middle. The ONLY thing that can get the muscles back in the centerline is permanent stiches to hold them there.

Robert B. Pollack, MD
La Jolla Plastic Surgeon

Exercise does not fix separated abdominal muscles

Correction of separated muscles is one of the main reasons for tummy tucks. The reason that it can't be done without surgery relates to the anatomy of the muscles: They are like parallel straps going from the rib cage to the pubic bone, but they don't connect across the midline. So when you exercise, they are pulling in a vertical direction but they are horizontally separated. There isn't any way to pull them in that direction and align them back together. Similarly, skin doesn't tighten... more

Richard Baxter, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Putting the Tummy Muscles together requires Surgery

I agree with Dr Rand. No exercise done for whatever amount of time will correct a serious diastasis. You would get the best result with a Tummy tuck. Dr P Aldea

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Tummy muscles need surgical repair

The "pooch" that many women develop after pregnancy is the result of stretching of the abdominal wall. The "six pack" muscle separate, sometimes 3 or more inches allowing an increase in circumference. Surgical repair is the only way these muscles can be put back in their normal anatomic position.

Ricardo Izquierdo, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Don't need tummy tuck, do need surgery

You do not need a tummy tuck to repair the separation, but you do need surgery. Some surgeons can do it endoscopically or through a short C-section type incision. If the separation is limited in length and predominantly around the belly button, it might also be possible to do a limited repair through a periumbilical incision similar to an umbilical hernia repair.

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Unfortunately, surgery is the only answer for some patients

When abdominal muscles become separated from past pregnancies or weight gain, they often do not return to their normal anatomic location. The only method of returning the muscles to their natural position and in tightening the abdomen is surgery in these cases. Unfortunately, the gym is not going to help in these cases. A thorough exam by a board certified plastic surgeon will help you decide if a full tummy tuck, a mini tummy tuck, or an endoscopic muscle plication is the best treatment... more

David Rankin, MD
Jupiter Plastic Surgeon

Nonsurgical repair of diastasis not possible

The separation that occurs in women following pregnancy is known as diastasis recti, or a separation of the rectus muscles. It is not possible to repair this without surgery. The excess skin that also often results from pregnancies can be addressed at the same time, hence the term tummy tuck.

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

Fixing abdominal muscle separation

I am assuming that you have kids and that the muscle separation is from that. If that is the case, all the exercise in the world won't bring them back together and you will need a tummy tuck.