The purpose of the splint
The splint is specifically designed to treat diastasis recti. The purpose of the splint is to help approximate (pull together) the two halves of the outermost abdominal muscle (recti), making the recommended Tupler Technique® exercises more effective. It also helps heal the weakened connective tissue.
How is the splint different from a girdle or control top support tights?
The purpose of other girdles or bands is compression or bringing the abdominal muscles back towards the spine. The purpose of the Diastasis Rehab Splint™ is to approximate or pull the two halves of the muscles closer together. The splint is worn between the bottom of the rib cage and the top of the hip bones, so each side of the recti can be brought towards the middle. The Tupler Technique® trains your core muscle to do the work of bringing your belly to the spine for a flat tummy. In contrast wearing a girdle lets the girdle do your ab work for you.
Not for everyone…….
You should not wear a Diastasis Rehab® splint if you have a hiatal hernia or suffer from a heart condition or if you have had a caesarean section and your scar has not yet healed (you must wait until your doctor has confirmed the scar has healed). When you bring the two separated muscles together you will be putting the displaced abdominal organs back to their original position. This may cause pressure on the organs above (heart) and below (pelvic floor) them. So if you have a heart condition or hiatal hernia it is best not to wear the splint. You can still do the exercises and “hold” a splint when doing the seated and backlying exercises.
If you have any type of prolapse you can wear the splint if you do not feel pressure on your pelvic floor. If you do feel pressure, then just “hold” a splint when doing the seated or backlying exercises. If you are wearing the splint, make sure it is not too tight. Also make sure when you do the exercises that you do the following:
1. Count out loud. Holding your breath puts pressure on the pelvic floor and weak connective tissue.
2. Engage both the abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor muscles when doing the seated and backlying exercises.
3. Decrease the amount of repetitions of the contracting exercises from 100 to 25 or less.
SIZE/STYLE/COLOUR?
The splints are available in black or nude and in two different styles: original and short torso (for children and people with a short torso). The original model is 8 inches tall and has 3 arms. The short torso splint is 6 inches tall and has 2 arms. If you order a multipack, then please let us know by email what size and colour you require.
Getting the right size
You will need to take two measurements to get your correct size.
1. Your upper back from one underarm to the other underarm. This is the most important measurement. You do not want the pad of the splint to be too big. If it rests on the front of your belly it does not allow much room to pull the muscles together.
2. The circumference of your body over your belly button. Measure in the evening when your belly is the largest. Your muscles should be relaxed when you measure. Waist size does not determine belly size.
If you do not have a measuring tape, measure with a piece of string and then measure the string with a ruler.
Please look at the chart below. It gives your back size and circumference size. If your circumference size is larger than the range on the chart, then the arms of the splint need to be longer. For this reason we have developed Extenders. They Velcro on to the ends of each of the three arms to make them longer. These extenders are also ideal during pregnancy so you can wear your same splint during the second and third trimester.
After a couple of weeks of doing the exercises your belly will become smaller and the elastic arms of your splint may become longer. Just put a hem in the arms to make them smaller.
See this you tube video if you need more help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpNzFeen2KE
| Upper back size | Circumference of body over tummy button | Your size is a perfect | If your circumference is greater than the number below, you may need to buy a set of extenders to make the arms longer |
| 10-12” | 24-27” | Extra Small | 28 or higher |
| 13-16” | 28-34” | Small | 35 or higher |
| 17-19” | 35-38” | Medium | 39 or higher |
| 20-22” | 39-42” | Large | 43 or higher |
| 23-25” | 43-46” | Extra Large | 47 or higher |
They must be washed by hand in cold water and air dried. Do not machine wash or tumble dry.
They are made in the USA and are non returnable.
Wear it all the time under your clothes.
A splint needs to be worn under your clothing and over a camisole or fitted undergarment to hold it in more effectively. People get the best results closing a diastasis when they wear the splint ALL the time. Even when they sleep. Think of it this way. If you broke your leg you would have to wear a cast to heal the broken bones. Your muscles have separated and you need to wear the Diastasis Rehab Splint™ to heal the connective tissue to bring the separated muscles together. You are constantly using your core muscles when you go about your daily life. One of the steps of the Tupler Technique® programme is engaging the core muscles during these activities. So if you are wearing a splint, the starting position of the muscles will be closer together when the muscles are engaged. This then helps speed up the process of closing your diastasis.
Instructions for putting on the Diastasis Rehab splint®
1. Put the pad on your back and make sure it is even on each side. The label should be on the inside of the bottom left hand side. Hold the arm on the label side with your left hand and the top arm on the other side with your right hand. The top of the splint should be right on top of the bottom of your ribs.
2. Now you want to cross the arms to the other side and switch hands. Make sure when crossing the arms that the top arm stays on top. So now the left hand is holding the top arm and the right hand is holding the arm from the other side.
3. With knees slightly bent and holding transverse in at 5th floor, gather in your hand the top arm that you are holding with your left. Keep that hand on your belly. Now move the muscle on the right side of your body towards the middle of your body. Hold it in that position with the heel of your other hand. Now straighten this arm that you are holding with your left hand and attach the end of the arm on the top on the left hand side of the splint. Look in a mirror so you can see where you are attaching it. Do not attach it too high or it will be on off the splint and may irritate your skin or hook on your clothing. Do not attach it too low or it will interfere with the arm on that side.
4. Pull the arm on the label side down away from the top arm. Gather this arm in your right hand. With transverse in at 5th floor, take the heel of your left hand and move the muscle on the left side to the middle. Straighten the arm and with your left hand attach it on top right side of the splint.
5. Pull down the bottom arm on the right hand side away from the upper arm. Gather this arm in your left hand. With your transverse at 5th floor, move the muscle on the right side of your body to the middle. Straighten the arm and attach on the bottom of the left hand side of the splint.
6. When you are approximating (or cinching together) the muscles a side effect is that it may bulge out the bottom. In week 4 of the program when you double splint you will be able to focus on this area of the belly.
Problems when wearing the splint
The area being splinted is a difficult area to splint because it is between two sets of bones. The ribcage on top and the pelvis on the bottom.
So it will be difficult to keep it in place. Wearing it over a fitted undergarment seems to help!
To get the full benefit of the splint, it is important to take it off and put it back on at least 3 or 4 times a day. However try not to re-adjust it more than this as continuously pulling the hook velcro off the loop velcro will prevent it from sticking. Velcro does wear out. That is the nature of it if you overuse it. The hook part of the velcro takes away the threads on the loop part of the velcro so adjust it instead of pulling the hook of the loop.
The more you pull the muscles together, the faster the connective tissue will heal.
Know that you will have to adjust the splint. If you are short waisted or have large hips it will be more difficult to keep it in place.
When you bring the two halves of the muscles together your belly may bulge out on the bottom.
This is normal. In week 4 of the programme you will be double splinting (wearing a splint and also holding a splint)
You can then work on pulling together the muscles in this area.
