Diastasis Recti & Coning Aren’t About Weak Abs — They’re About Pressure & Movement Patterns.
If you were told to “just strengthen your core” or “do more Pilates” — that advice missed the actual cause.
We help you fix the pattern, not just patch the symptoms.
Diastasis isn’t a muscle problem. It’s a pressure and movement sequencing problem.
Left Image: Pre Pregnancy -> Right Image: 38 Weeks Pregnant
What Diastasis Actually Is
Most explanations say diastasis = “your abdominal muscles separated.”
That’s a surface-level description, not a cause.
The separation is a result of how your:
Rib cage is positioned
Pelvis is oriented
Diaphragm + core coordinate during breath
Torso rotates (or doesn’t)
Load transfers when you walk and stand
If these pieces aren’t working together, the abdominal wall loses tension integrity — leading to doming, coning, or visible separation.
It’s not about strength. It’s about coordination.
Why Conventional Advice Usually Fails
If you’ve tried:
✔ Pilates
✔ Core strengthening programs
✔ Planks
✔ Dead bugs
✔ Crunch variations
✔ “Engage your core harder”
…and your belly still cones or domes?
That’s because these exercises train the abs in isolation, not in the real-life patterns your body uses to manage pressure — especially in walking.
You can have strong abs and still have diastasis.
Strength ≠ Integration.
The FP Approach:
Restore Pressure Mechanics First
Your core isn’t a group of muscles — it’s a pressure system.
To rebuild the abdominal wall, we restore:
Rib cage position
We restore the rib cage to a position where the abdominal wall can support you without gripping or collapsing.
When the ribs stop flaring upward, the core regains tension from the inside out instead of relying on bracing.
Pelvic orientation
We bring the pelvis back into a neutral relationship with the rib cage so that the glutes and deep core have mechanical leverage again.
This removes the constant stretch and strain that drives coning and abdominal separation.
Diaphragm → TVA coordination
We reintroduce the natural relationship between the diaphragm and the deep core.
This allows the abdominal wall to pressurize evenly, rather than pushing pressure forward into the midline.
Oblique + sling integration
We restore the diagonal and rotational support systems that stabilise the trunk during movement.
When the obliques, lats, and glutes share load, the abdominal wall no longer has to work alone.
Gait sequencing
We retrain how the ribs, pelvis, and feet coordinate through the walking cycle.
Walking becomes the primary mechanism that rebuilds abdominal wall integrity, rather than continuing to reinforce compensation patterns.
Load Tolerance in Real-World Movement
We reintegrate lifting, carrying, stepping, pushing and pulling in patterns that match everyday life.
Your core becomes reliable in motion, not just during training.
When your breath, ribs, pelvis, and step pattern work together, the abdominal wall begins to naturally regain tension.
This is why our results hold…
they come from restoring the system, not patching symptoms.
What Your Assessment Includes
We don’t guess
During your session, we assess:
-
We assess how your rib cage sits in relation to your pelvis while you stand and breathe.
This gives us a baseline of how your pressure system is organised.
If these structures are sitting out of phase, the abdominal wall is placed under constant tension — which is the underlying driver of coning and separation patterns. -
We observe how your diaphragm, ribs, and abdominal wall move during a relaxed breath and during load.
This tells us whether your system is pressurising, bracing, or distributing load smoothly.
Your breath pattern is the clearest indicator of how your core is actually coordinating. -
We introduce gentle, controlled tasks that reveal when and where the abdominal wall loses tension.
We’re not looking for right or wrong — we’re identifying the exact point in movement where pressure shifts into the midline.
This shows us how your core currently responds to demand. -
We assess your gait — how your pelvis rotates, how your ribs counter-rotate, and how your feet transfer weight as you move.
Walking exposes the real-time coordination of your core system.
If the gait pattern is compensating, the abdominal wall is forced to work harder than it should. -
We evaluate how your body organises gravity when you stand, and how freely you can rotate without collapsing into your lower back or gripping through the hips.
Rotation capacity reflects how well your oblique and sling systems are participating in support. -
We assess the pelvic floor via breath and pressure response — not internal testing.
We look for whether the pelvic floor can lengthen, recoil, and support load in rhythm with your diaphragm.
This gives us a clear picture of function, not just muscle tone.
We show you exactly where your pressure is leaking — and what we’re going to change.
You leave the first session with a clear plan and real-time change you can see and feel.
Pregnancy vs Postpartum Pathways
-
Pregnancy (Prevention + Control)
Goal: Manage pressure as your body changes.
We help you minimise coning and keep your core working with you, not against you.Focus:
> Breath mechanics
> Rib stack control
> Pelvic pressure management in daily tasks
> Safe load handling (push/pull/bend/carry) -
Postpartum (Rebuild + Reintegration)
Goal: Restore tension, integrity, and load transfer.
We help you restore abdominal tension, core harmony, and pelvic stability.
Focus:
> Reclaim diaphragm + core coordination
> Reinforce sling systems
> Progress to gait-integrated loading
> Return to running/strength safely
Real Outcomes
This is what happens when the system works again, not just the muscles.
Flatter abdominal wall without ab workouts
Reduced or fully resolved coning
Better breathing + less stiffness
Stronger, lighter walking pattern
More stable lower back + pelvis
Confidence returning to training
Book Your Diastasis Rehab Assessment
We work with pregnancy and postpartum clients in-person at Functional Patterns Brisbane.
If your goal is long-term stability, not temporary fixes — this is where you do that.
→ Book Initial Assessment
(button)
Location: Bulimba / Brisbane
Sessions: 1-on-1, Private, Evidence-Based, FP Method Certified Practitioners
INTERESTED IN A FEMALE ONLY GROUP PROGRAM?
Rebuild your core, balance, and pelvic floor strength in a supportive small-group environment.
Female-only training using the Functional Patterns approach.
