Distended Abs - what's inside?

[hawkmoon]

I certainly have diastasis as well....

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[KillerStack]

I had a small umbilical hernia fixed 20 years ago.
The past few years I have developed a self diagnosed diastasis, a long bulging section between my abs when I do a sit-up motion. Horrible look. I'm not ready to take extended time off lifting heavy right now so I haven't explored surgical options. But I know I have to get around to it soon.

Anyone here have surgery for this? Is heavy deadlifting over after surgery?

 

[Beti ona]

Whatever causes it, if you want to keep your stomach as flat as possible in a competition, go the maximum dryness route and forget the size/fullness. You can try to load with small amount of fats, very light carb loads or no load at all.

 

[Beti ona]

It's inflammation.


I had that problem in 2013. I then went to Italy for 3 months. I shopped at the farmer's market and the supermarketta near by. All the food in Italy is close to the earth. Not much additives, modern pesticides etc. After about 3 weeks I dropped 12 lbs overnight. Mt waist came in many inches. I was eating more than I do in the states. My body completely changes. I became leaner and leaner.

I was back in the states for 2 weeks and all the bloat was back. Every time I go back to Italy the same thing happens. Going back there in March. Can't wait.

I think the most likely explanation is that when you go to Italy, you have much less stress, stress causes cortisol and inflammation.

The similar thing happens me with the dream/insomnia, when I get out of my routine and go on vacation, I sleep better. The food has nothing to do with it.

 

[Beti ona]

I think this is a good shit, interesting reading to alleviate this problem to some extent.

The Lost Art of Vacuum Training | IronMag Bodybuilding Blog

 

[Iceman1800]

Edited....post above answered my question lol

 

[Reno911]

Ive got that now too, the diastasis. Mine came on after I had my umbilical hernia repaired. Maybe just coincidence, but some months after the surgery is when I first noticed the diastasis. Does anyone know if it is related to having the umbilical hernia surgery? Is there any way to fix diastasis recti with surgery?

I can't answer your first question but I can for the second one.

I "had" a diastasic right above my navel. When I went in for surgery last fall for an umbilical hernia, Dr. Grischkan sutured it up during the repair. I only stayed lean for a month or 2 after the surgery before I started bulking so I really can't see how things look. Hopefully when I lean out for summer, both the navel and above it where the diastasic was look decent.

 

[maldorf]

I certainly have diastasis as well....

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I think that it might add to distension since the abdominal wall doesn't hold in everything so tight anymore. Really sucks. I still remember the first day I noticed it. I was getting up from doing decline presses and noticed how my abs were sticking up down the middle in a ridge. It never hurt or anything, really weird. It just showed up.

 

[maldorf]

I had a small umbilical hernia fixed 20 years ago.
The past few years I have developed a self diagnosed diastasis, a long bulging section between my abs when I do a sit-up motion. Horrible look. I'm not ready to take extended time off lifting heavy right now so I haven't explored surgical options. But I know I have to get around to it soon.

Anyone here have surgery for this? Is heavy deadlifting over after surgery?

I looked at surgery online, all of them were women after pregnancy. There is a huge Frankenstein like scar running down the midline and it looks worse than before surgery IMO. I don't know how it heals up, maybe it gets better. I don't have any pain with mine, but I think it might be making my low back sore because it is weak. Might be able to get insurance to pay for it since my low back is ATFU. The surgery looks pretty rough though and healing takes a long time. Not a simple surgery like a hernia.

 

[maldorf]

I can't answer your first question but I can for the second one.

I "had" a diastasic right above my navel. When I went in for surgery last fall for an umbilical hernia, Dr. Grischkan sutured it up during the repair. I only stayed lean for a month or 2 after the surgery before I started bulking so I really can't see how things look. Hopefully when I lean out for summer, both the navel and above it where the diastasic was look decent.

Nice! It must have not run very far up like mine? Mine now runs up almost to my sternum. I hope yours is fixed up. How long a scar do you have? Did he basically just use the same opening for your hernia to do it, and didn't have to go up far so didn't make it bigger?

 

[Reno911]

Nice! It must have not run very far up like mine? Mine now runs up almost to my sternum. I hope yours is fixed up. How long a scar do you have? Did he basically just use the same opening for your hernia to do it, and didn't have to go up far so didn't make it bigger?

You are correct- mine did not run up too far. Maybe 2-3 inches above the navel. He went in through the umbilicus so no scar. I can't imagine the hernia and diastasis repair will be look perfect but I'm hoping for a good result. Time will tell when I get sub 8% or so.

I'm guessing with your running so far up, the style of repair might differ. I chose the Shouldice Technique because I am not a big fan of general anesthesia and also with laparoscopic they have to blow your abdomen up with gas and you can get sore/stiff shoulders for up to a year after. (I've had a few friends that it happened to). The Shouldice is done under twighlight sedation and then they use a local.

 

[maldorf]

Seeing lots of photos that look like this!

 

[pickapeck]

Uhhh..... is that YOUR pic in that avatar... because i know that pic and the person whose pic that is i dont think they would blindly just say something is inflammation as i respect that gentleman.

You're wrong. I am glyco. I joined here before that screen name. Thanks for the insult. My comment has to do with alteration of the microbiome. The gut is a major site of immune system regulation. My experience traveling to the mediteranian lends me to believe most of the distention is associates with changes in the microbiome. Just for information purposes the genetic footprint of the microbiome is 90% predictive of obesity. The human genome is only ~42% predictive. Inflammatory markers sour with dysmorphic microbiome. If you browse the current jobs in science at the assistant/associate prof level you will see a high incidence of positions in the area of microbiome study.

Anyhow, thanks for the insult. See you at WCBB.

G

 

[pickapeck]

I think the most likely explanation is that when you go to Italy, you have much less stress, stress causes cortisol and inflammation.

The similar thing happens me with the dream/insomnia, when I get out of my routine and go on vacation, I sleep better. The food has nothing to do with it.

I was working 2 jobs, running my research group in the states remote and running a study in Rome. Rules out stress relief.

 

[gotgame]

You're wrong. I am glyco. I joined here before that screen name. Thanks for the insult. My comment has to do with alteration of the microbiome. The gut is a major site of immune system regulation. My experience traveling to the mediteranian lends me to believe most of the distention is associates with changes in the microbiome. Just for information purposes the genetic footprint of the microbiome is 90% predictive of obesity. The human genome is only ~42% predictive. Inflammatory markers sour with dysmorphic microbiome. If you browse the current jobs in science at the assistant/associate prof level you will see a high incidence of positions in the area of microbiome study.

Anyhow, thanks for the insult. See you at WCBB.

G

My apologies, i thought someone stole your pic and used it as there own.

In general if there is a microbiome alteration involving the GI system resulting in local serosal inflammation it would be GI tract bowel wall thickening/fat standing. while possible for the most part even when someone has a crohns flairup there isnt a too much distension. In general, its my opinion, that when a bodybuilder complains of distension its usually structural in terms of visceral fat, diastasis, thicken rectus.

If none of those are the culprit then we start looking at the GI tract itself and see if there is bowel loop distension in absence of mechanical obstruction which may be related to inflammation like you had suggested. In some cases its been pathologic intraabdominal fluid related to other health conditions ( renal issues, heart), or organomegaly. I try to rule out the more common causes first as inflammation is often tough to address or even diagnose the cause of when its present.


My apologies for the insult.

 

[gotgame]

Nice! It must have not run very far up like mine? Mine now runs up almost to my sternum. I hope yours is fixed up. How long a scar do you have? Did he basically just use the same opening for your hernia to do it, and didn't have to go up far so didn't make it bigger?

When i was a surgery intern i was in a few of these repairs. basically it depends on how bad it is.. how far its separated, is it just muscle thinning and seperation..is there now a ventral abdominal wall hernia... what does it contain?

Its its bad enough to warrant surgery basically its a pretty decent incision along its course, cut down to the fascia if its still intact or if there fat protruding. If there is already a decent hernia mesh may be used while having clamps on either side pulling it together.

Its a bit easier if the fascia is still in fact as you can just sorta pull it together and use some thick sutures to pull it together as the fascia holds pretty well. They may bovie some of it to scar it down as well.

Recovery takes a good amount of time because of intraabdominal pressures.

 

[maldorf]

When i was a surgery intern i was in a few of these repairs. basically it depends on how bad it is.. how far its separated, is it just muscle thinning and seperation..is there now a ventral abdominal wall hernia... what does it contain?

Its its bad enough to warrant surgery basically its a pretty decent incision along its course, cut down to the fascia if its still intact or if there fat protruding. If there is already a decent hernia mesh may be used while having clamps on either side pulling it together.

Its a bit easier if the fascia is still in fact as you can just sorta pull it together and use some thick sutures to pull it together as the fascia holds pretty well. They may bovie some of it to scar it down as well.

Recovery takes a good amount of time because of intraabdominal pressures.

Sadly I blew part of my umbilical hernia repair out just 6 months or so after my surgery. I was still doing deadlifts and think that is what did it. I still have the small hole, its been about 14 years or so now. It hurts once in awhile.

The diastasis I have now doesn't hurt at all and causes no discomfort, unless it is contributing to my sore lower back. Ive been exercising more regularly now and my back seems to be getting better. Im not too worried about fixing the diastasis because at this point I think it is mostly just cosmetic. If I didn't have heart failure I probably would have had it repaired along with my umbilical hernia reoccurance.

The surgeon told me how strong this mesh was and how its stronger than it was before it was even injured, but he was wrong. I think a lot of lifters probably blow their's out again.

 

[pickapeck]

My apologies, i thought someone stole your pic and used it as there own.

In general if there is a microbiome alteration involving the GI system resulting in local serosal inflammation it would be GI tract bowel wall thickening/fat standing. while possible for the most part even when someone has a crohns flairup there isnt a too much distension. In general, its my opinion, that when a bodybuilder complains of distension its usually structural in terms of visceral fat, diastasis, thicken rectus.

If none of those are the culprit then we start looking at the GI tract itself and see if there is bowel loop distension in absence of mechanical obstruction which may be related to inflammation like you had suggested. In some cases its been pathologic intraabdominal fluid related to other health conditions ( renal issues, heart), or organomegaly. I try to rule out the more common causes first as inflammation is often tough to address or even diagnose the cause of when its present.


My apologies for the insult.

As a Ph. D. Biochemistry and Msc in Biomedicine and not as an MD my view of this is a little different. You are talking about image studies. You are looking for evidence in structural changes. That is very macro. You would not see evidence of what I am talking about unless you did microbiome and inflammatory marker studies.

If your interested in the topic search pubmed

keywords: abdominal distention and microbiome review

 

[gotgame]

Sadly I blew part of my umbilical hernia repair out just 6 months or so after my surgery. I was still doing deadlifts and think that is what did it. I still have the small hole, its been about 14 years or so now. It hurts once in awhile.

The diastasis I have now doesn't hurt at all and causes no discomfort, unless it is contributing to my sore lower back. Ive been exercising more regularly now and my back seems to be getting better. Im not too worried about fixing the diastasis because at this point I think it is mostly just cosmetic. If I didn't have heart failure I probably would have had it repaired along with my umbilical hernia reoccurance.

The surgeon told me how strong this mesh was and how its stronger than it was before it was even injured, but he was wrong. I think a lot of lifters probably blow their's out again.

He never should have told you it would be stronger then before it was even injuried. While true the MESH is not going to likely tear, its interface with the fascia is a weak point. Scar tissue is never as strong as the native tissue.

I recall repairing one weight lifter vental wall hernia. I was a resident at the time and told the attending "i got this"and to take off. I repaired that sucker with the thickest nylon we had in the OR with multiple fascial layers and then closed every layer on top of it with nylon until subq where i did a buried straight needle plastics closure.

i was in there for like two hours when it should have been 30 min. My attending was like wtf thats overkill... maybe it was but i know bodybuilders and they/we are retarded and we will tear it if possible.

Oh and with your heart issues...no one in there right mind would touch you for a cosmetic issues which requires general anesthesia

 

[maldorf]

Oh and with your heart issues...no one in there right mind would touch you for a cosmetic issues which requires general anesthesia

Yeah, at this point the umbilical hernia doesn't hurt most of the time and doesn't get stuck, I can push the peritoneum back in especially if I lie down. Sometimes though for seemingly no reason it will start to ache as if it has torn more. The hole isn't growing larger at a fast rate though. It has grown larger over the past 15 years or so since I tore it again though. It is about the size of the tip of my pinkie now. It does bother me and I am constantly pushing that shit back in!

The diastasis seems to be mostly cosmetic with zero pain. I do wonder though if it contributes to my weak back that is sore so much.