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The Splint God Help Me!

It has been since May 11th that I have abandoned wearing my splint. Yes I know, slap me on the wrist. After 10 weeks of all day every day (well 95%) I was completely fed up with it. 10 weeks is a good run, but the lack of support in approximating my recti is noticeable.

I purchased 2 items from the Ardyss line of body shaping garments, the Corset Golden and the T-Shirt Lite. They have been more feminine substitutions for the splint and provide support but only by compression; they do almost nothing to approximate the rectus abdominus. They are supportive, they encourage better posture (something the splint doesn't do), and they definintely flatten and shape; but the approximating design of the splint is more functional from a rehabilitative perspective. Remember what the SPLINT looks like?

All of my clients, myself and my team of trainers struggle with the splint. It does ride up- all day, every day. There is no questioning its effectiveness for what it is designed to do, but the thing becomes uncomfortable to wear! It stretches and I have found the velcro loses it's "adhesiveness" over time. Wearing this splint 12-18 hours/day certainly takes its toll on the fabric. I have washed it, ironed it and starched it, and that does seem to help maintain its shape. I have also put in on slightly damp after a wash and found it shaped well to my body when it dried that way.

Including myself there are 4 people on my roster who are experimenting with alternative supports- corsets, girdles, postnatal belly bands/compression wraps, as well as alternative diastasis rehab garments.  I recently met with Samantha from Core Expectations; we were discussing the splint challenges and the limitations of other body shaping garments for ab rehab. She asked me why I wasn't wearing the splint at least during my workouts, and honestly my answer was laziness. After my email correspondence with Julie Tupler yesterday I was inspired today to put the damn thing back on for my workout. After my shower I threw it back on again for a set of double splinted headlifts, so I'll keep it on for the day and attempt her challenge to see if my abdomen is less distended at the end of the day.

So that's where I am currently at with the splint 16 weeks into the ab rehab program.  I am optimistic I can recommit to the splint to make another big push in closing this diastasis for good! This will reinforce my diligence with my daily headlift sets as well. I will surely continue to use my body shaping garments as substitutions, but I will wear the splint daily even if only when working out.




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