Dent above belly button

[MSWR0319]

I have this dent above my belly button. It showed up after I delivered DS2 and lost my baby weight. Anyone else have this? I asked the last time I was at my OB/GYN and she said she thought it was a hernia, but when she felt it she said it felt like there was still a layer of muscle. She was going to feel it while I was laying down but instead of coming back in the room got called out to deliver. I then forgot to ask her NP when she came in to finish the appointment. I just thought a hernia would bulge instead of dent and I noticed this week that the dent looks smaller now than it did before. It's just odd. I have my yearly in a few weeks, just curious if anyone had experienced this.

[sntm]

Could be a diastasis.

[karstmama]

yeah, i vote diastasis. put your fingertips 'in' it, and slowly do a crunch while poking gently into it. if you can feel a hole, diastasis recti is the most likely explanation.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I have a dent in my arm from a steroid shot, but I'm voting for what they said instead of the cause of my dent.

[okinawama]

I have one, but mine is totally because the skin above my belly button is saggy. Initially I thought it was a muscle issue, but now, it's very apparent that it's extra skin. Could it just be loose skin?

[twowhat?]

I have a diastasis and a ton of loose skin. I have a dent above my belly button which is easier to see first thing in the morning when I haven't eaten anything yet.

I'm not sure if the dent is because of the diastasis or the way the loose skin pulls down around my belly button. I feel like it's some of both.

[brittone2]

I have a diastasis and had something similar. It is much improved after using the Tupler Technique. I still have some that I need to work on but it is much, much more shallow and the upper and lower portions have closed substantially.

[MSWR0319]

THanks ladies! I actually wondered if that's what it was. Now I know I'm not supposed to do sit-ups. Can I run on the elliptical? Do I need to go to therapy or can I just do exercises at home. It's actually smaller than it used to feel, though I don't know why. It feels the worst right under my belly button and then not so bad but still there right where the dent is.

[brittone2]

THanks ladies! I actually wondered if that's what it was. Now I know I'm not supposed to do sit-ups. Can I run on the elliptical? Do I need to go to therapy or can I just do exercises at home. It's actually smaller than it used to feel, though I don't know why. It feels the worst right under my belly button and then not so bad but still there right where the dent is.

There are a few things you would want to avoid. I think Tupler would have a rundown on her site. Jackknife positions are another to avoid, as well as anything that has gravity pushing against your rectus abdominus muscles (so like a traditional pushup would be not great, but you could modify it to a wall pushup *if* you can keep your transverse engaged properly).

PT can help, but I was very pleased with the Tupler DVD. Splinting was a total pain (I wore mine for months!), but it made a very noticeable difference. I still need to finish up a bit more work on mine and took a break for a bit, but really, the overall improvement has been impressive.

MOvements like a tennis serve or other twisting type motions can also put shear on the muscles and cause additional damage. Tupler's program goes over this stuff, as well as things like getting in/out of bed, off the floor, etc correctly vs. incorrectly.

[rachelh]

I've heard of diastasis recti before and wonder if I have it. I did the "test" and I definitely have some separation above my belly button. I have worked out with two trainers in the past. Is it possible neither of them thought that it might be an issue? Can I do the Tupler Technique even if I am not certain I have diastasis?