#98: What Your Scar Might Still Be Doing to Your Core (Years Later)
“A healed scar doesn’t always mean a fully recovered body.
Sometimes, what’s missing is simply the right support — in the right sequence.”
It’s been years since your C-section. On the surface, you’ve healed.
You’re back at work, managing home life, maybe even exercising again.
But certain things haven’t quite resolved.
That tug across your lower belly when you twist or stretch.
That strange pulling or tightness around your scar — especially when you move quickly or lie down flat.
And perhaps more noticeably — your core still doesn’t feel strong or reliable.
You feel it when you pick up your child. When you walk uphill. When your back aches after a long day at the desk or on your feet.
You’ve done the breathing exercises, the Pilates, the physio.
But if you’re honest, the results have plateaued. And you’re wondering:
“What’s still not right?”
Let’s unpack that question — clearly and calmly — so you can understand what’s going on, why it matters, and what to do next.
Why Traditional Postnatal Advice Often Falls Short
Most postnatal recovery plans are built around a few basic elements: gentle core work, pelvic floor exercises, and low-impact movement. These are often delivered as general guidelines — without much consideration for how a woman’s individual birth experience has affected her body.
But here’s the reality: C-section recovery isn’t the same as vaginal recovery.
The muscles of your abdominal wall have been surgically cut. The nervous system has been interrupted. And the fascial system — the connective tissue network that links your core, pelvis, breath, and spine — has been altered in ways most programmes don’t address.
That means a standard postnatal approach often misses three key areas:
Scar tissue is rarely discussed, let alone treated — yet it can affect everything from breath mechanics to hip mobility.
Static exercises (like bridges or bird dogs) might help activate certain muscles, but they don’t retrain those muscles to work during movement, lifting, or load transfer.
And most importantly, the nervous system — which controls how safe your body feels and how well it engages the core — is almost always left out of the conversation.
So if you've been doing “all the right things” and still feel disconnected, unstable, or achy, you're not imagining it — and you're not broken.
You’ve likely just been given an incomplete map.
The Bigger Picture of Recovery — and Where the Gaps Are
For years after my C-section, I did what many health-conscious mums do: I followed the postnatal guidelines, started breathing work, rebuilt my core gently, and began scar massage as soon as it was safe.
But something still didn’t feel right.
I had good awareness. I was consistent. Yet I kept running into symptoms that didn’t match the narrative I’d been given — especially a dull ache near my ovaries around ovulation. It wasn’t sharp or urgent, just persistent. And no one had mentioned this might be related to the scar.
Eventually, I discovered that while I had worked on the superficial scar tissue early on, there were deeper adhesions — likely around the abdominal fascia and pelvic organs — that hadn’t been addressed. These can pull subtly on nearby tissues, including the fascia surrounding the ovaries and uterus.
What helped? Very gentle, intentional touch around the scar and lower belly — not just over the incision itself, but in the surrounding areas. Once I began exploring this work (safely and slowly), that tension eased. The ache I had assumed was “just hormones” began to fade. My breathing deepened. My core felt less guarded.
But it’s important to say: this wasn’t the solution in isolation.
Scar massage — whether self-led or guided by a specialist — is one piece of the puzzle. An important piece, yes, especially for anyone with odd pulling sensations, deep cycle-related pain, or poor core response. But without re-patterning the core system as a whole, it’s limited.
Equally, if you’re not sure how to do this work yourself, or your symptoms go beyond mild tension, it’s wise to seek out a women’s health professional trained in post-surgical scar therapy. The deeper structures — fascia, nerves, and visceral tissues — respond best to a skilled, gentle approach.
What Real Core Recovery Actually Requires
When your abdominal wall has been cut, the deep core system — the transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and multifidus — loses its normal coordination. That doesn’t mean it can’t work again. But it won’t return to its old patterns automatically. It needs to be rebuilt — intentionally, and in motion.
Core “activation” on the floor is a fine starting point, but it’s not enough. The real strength comes when you restore the system to function under real-life loads: carrying your child, walking, lifting, twisting, and stabilising throughout your day.
To get there, we need to:
Re-establish breath mechanics that support pressure and stability
Release unnecessary tension — especially around the scar and surrounding fascia
Gradually rebuild deep abdominal control during dynamic movements, not just lying down
And respect the nervous system’s role in safety, stability, and energy regulation
This may sound technical — but when taught well, it’s completely doable. It’s not about complexity. It’s about the right sequence.
A Scar That’s Still Talking
Your scar isn’t just a leftover from surgery. It’s part of an intelligent repair system — one that your body put in place to protect and heal you.
But sometimes, that same protection becomes limitation.
When fascia sticks instead of gliding… when nerves go quiet or hypersensitive… when the body avoids movement out of caution… the scar continues to influence your posture, movement, and function — even if no one ever told you that could happen.
This doesn’t mean something went wrong. It just means your recovery isn’t finished yet — and that’s okay.
Scar massage, when done gently and with awareness, can help release restriction, improve blood flow, and reawaken your connection to the area. If deeper issues are present — like cycle-related pain, persistent tightness, or abdominal numbness — it may be worth seeing a women’s health professional trained in post-surgical scar therapy.
Healing here doesn’t mean perfection. It means creating the conditions for better function.
You Don’t Have to Push Through This
One of the hardest things I see as a coach is how many mums have normalised discomfort. The achy hips, the tight shoulders, the belly that still feels “off” — they’re brushed aside as part of the job.
But the truth is, your body is asking for support.
And that support doesn’t have to be harsh, complicated, or time-consuming.
You don’t need to go back to square one. You don’t need to do more. You just need to do the right things, in the right order.
And if you’re ready for that — I’ve made something to help you start.
Ready to rebuild — gently and intelligently?
👉🏽 Download your free guide: C-Section Core Recovery — Your Gentle Start to Rebuilding Strength
Inside, you’ll learn why your core may still feel weak — and how to start reconnecting it using two simple, breath-led exercises designed for mums post-C-section.
No pressure. No overwhelm.
Just a clear, effective place to begin — even years after surgery.
With Love,
Karo