Can a 4cm diastasis repair by PT and not surgery?

Diastasis is an over-rated condition, in my opinion!  You are 7 weeks post partum, early to make decisions.  You have the right idea, and as a fitness instructor, you have the knowledge to recondition your abdomen into the best shape possible.  Do that first.  Some abdomens (and diastasis) improve remarkably well.  I say that diastasis is over-rated, because it is one small condition that exists after pregnancy and weight loss.  Generalized relaxation of all of the muscles, loose skin, fat pockets and stretch marks are often greater concerns that lead you to a tummy tuck.  If the diastasis has specific symptoms, ie, a linear bulge with sit ups, or pain, then it is usually best fixed at the time of a tummy tuck.  Isolated diastasis repair rarely makes sense.  

Hello, and thank you for your question!  Once the connective tissue has been stretched and thinned out, surgical intervention is the optimal way of bringing the muscles back to their correct anatomical position. Safe DR exercises can help strengthen the accessory muscles to compensate for the diastasis however, it will not be able to bring the elasticity back to the tissue that has already been compromised. I have worked on many patients from varying degrees of diastasis from mild to severe with success long term outcomes.  My recommendation is to seek a Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon who has extensive experience with diastasis. An in person consultation will give an affirmative plan based on your situation.  I've provided a link with some helpful information pertaining to diastasis recti, treatment options as well as some before and after photos. 

Forget about any non-basic treatment that you can buy online. There are some such as the ad belt, which are a complete waste of money. The only non-invasive treatment for mild diastasis is EmSculpt. EmSculpt consist of a very powerful electromagnet that is placed on your abdominal wall. Over the course of four sessions done weekly. It strengthens and shorten your abdominal muscle muscles tightening a diastasis. I emphasize that this can only be done on cases of mild diastasis. Anything over that would indeed need a tummy tuck with muscle repair.

Hello Cinnamonster23, Depending on the severity of the Diastasis, exercise alone may not help to bring those muscles back together. There are options to repair those muscles surgically, but I'd recommend consulting with an experienced surgeon in person. I suggest consulting with several Board Certified surgeons specializing in these procedures to give you their opinions and evaluations. Good luck.

Unfortunately, no amount of exercise or physical therapy will bring the muscles back together. A very small diastasis repair can be performed through a smaller incision than a TT. Consult with a board certified PS who is an expert at performing TTs.  Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Tryly the only practical way to core t a diastasis recti is to combine it with a full tummy tuck.  Therefore you need to consider if you have enough loose skin to justify the large scar in a tummy tuck.  Exercises will definitely keep your tummy toned but will do nothing to bring the muscles closer to each other.

Dear mhosseini2,
you are still in early period after giving birth so it might improve while you heal from pregnancy and labor. If your distasis recti doesn't improve, you will probably need a surgery in order to get flat abdomen. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

I have looked at some of the reports on exercise techniques to correct a diastasis but I am not convinced. Partly this is because a variable degree of correction occurs naturally in the first few months after surgery, and partly because there are no abdominal muscles that pull a diastasis together. 

The three surgeons you consulted were absolutely correct. There is no exercise or physical therapy that will eliminate the diastasis recti. The gold standard treatment is a muscle plication which is an internal repair that mimics and internal corset. In my practice, I perform a two layered plication (repair) and inject all of my patients with exparel which is a pain medication that lasts 72 hours and helps blunt the post-operative pain. Save yourself the headache, money, and most importantly your sanity and don't fall for the sales gimicks online. I'd be happy to offer you a free consultation to review your goals. Best, Dr. Satey, Beverly Hills, Ca.

At 7 weeks post partum, a 4 cm diastasis is pretty normal. I'd consider deferring any consideration for surgery for the better part of a year with your recent pregnancy. One thing you can do at this stage though is treat it with something like EMsculpt (a non invasive muscle toning technology). That is something we've been doing 6-8 weeks post partum to rehabilitate core muscle strength and help resolve early normal degrees of diastsis like yours. We've been very happy with the results.