Diastasis and Spinal Fusion

Some patients after abdominoplasty say that lower back issues or improved. Clinical support for this is quite weak and I would proceed with abdominoplasty with the expectation that it will be cosmetic only.

Thank you for the question.  Based on your description and history, it sounds like your plastic surgeon consultant has given you good advice. The vast majority of patients I see  after 3 children are not good candidates for liposuction surgery alone.

 There is no way of knowing whether tummy tuck surgery will necessarily help your spine condition.  I think you should proceed with tummy tuck surgery ONLY IF  you are concerned about excess skin/adipose tissue along with the presence of the diastasis;  the presence of the spine condition will probably should not be influential.

Furthermore, it is unlikely, despite your history, that insurance companies will cover the procedure. Of course, to be sure, you should check with the specific insurance company.

Best wishes.

Consider your upright posture as a sailboat and your spine as the mast. Ligaments connecting your vertebra and the musculature of your back and abdomen are the "lines" keeping it upright. Keeping these strong with exercises designed to build your "core" (such as yoga and Pilates) will give you the best chance of leading a pain free life. Occasionally, the diastasis is so wide that the efficiency of the rectus abdominus  muscle is affected and diminished. In these rare cases, i have fond it necessary to repair the diastasis! Oh by the way... keep your psoas and gluteal muscles stretched!