Monmouth University Inc.

07/08/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/08/2025 08:35

Prof. Rial-Faigenbaum Co-Authors Paper in BMC Women’s Health

Tamara Rial-Faigenbaum, Ph.D., specialist professor in the Department of Health and Physical Education at Monmouth University, has co-authored a new peer-reviewed article in BMC Women's Health titled "#diastasisrecti: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Instagram Posts and Their Influence on Women's Exercise and Sports Participation."

The mixed-methods study examined how the hashtag #diastasisrecti, which refers to a common postpartum condition involving the separation of abdominal muscles, is portrayed on Instagram when talking about women's engagement with exercise and sports. Through a combination of quantitative content analysis and interviews to women with this condition, the paper highlights the widespread presence of misinformation and the psychosocial effects that social media content can have on women navigating health content on social media platforms like Instagram. The authors found that over 60 percent of content creators shared non-evidence-based information, while only seven percent referenced scientific sources in their content. The authors argue for more evidence-based communication and digital health literacy around women's health.

"Many women who suffer diastasis recti expressed confusion about what exercises they could or couldn't do safely," said Rial-Faigenbaum. "The overwhelming presence of conflicting and non-scientific advice on social media makes it difficult for women to make informed decisions about their health and fitness journey."

The paper calls for improved digital health literacy and the promotion of evidence-based content in online spaces. This publication emerged from an international and interdisciplinary collaboration among experts in women's health, physical therapy, exercise science, and research methods, reflecting a growing global commitment to addressing misinformation in social media platforms.

BMC Women's Health is a high-visibility, open-access journal ranked in the top quartile for women's health research. The publication considers articles on all aspects of the health and wellbeing of adolescent girls and women, with a particular focus on the physical, mental, and emotional health of women in developed and developing nations. The full article is available on the BMC Women's Health website.

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