Michelle Bridges under fire from women’s health physiotherapist for ‘risky’ exercise

PHOTOS of a pregnant Michelle Bridges doing this exercise send the wrong message to pregnant mums, physiotherapists have warned.

PREGNANT BIGGEST LOSER TRAINER MICHELLE BRIDGES LEADS A GUINESS RECORD ATTEMPT FITBALL WORKOUT AT BONDI BEACH 16 October 2015 ©MEDIA-MODE.COM

PHOTOS of a pregnant Michelle Bridges doing crunches sends the wrong message to pregnant mums, physiotherapists warn.

Women’s health physiotherapist Lyz Evans says Bridges had fallen into the trap of believing crunches made the abdominal muscles stronger, when in actual fact, she says, doing them in the later stages of pregnancy puts women at risk of tearing abdominal wall tissue.

Such an injury can lead to lower back pain, urinary incontinence and an ongoing pot belly tummy, says Evans.

Evans took to Facebook to warn her pregnant clients against copying Bridges after photos of the fitness guru performing the exercise at a beach were published last month.

“In this months issue of New Idea showing Michelle doing an abdominal crunch is unfortunately sending the WRONG message to all the pregnant mummas out there,” Evans wrote on the Women in Focus Physiotherapy Facebook page.

Her post has now been shared more than 1000 times.

The picture in question of Michelle Bridges doing abdominal crunches. Picture: Media Mode

“She (Bridges) shouldn’t have been doing that exercise,” the Bondi clinic owner told AAP on Monday.

“The point of my post wasn’t to have a go at Michelle. I was trying to educate women and mothers.

“Putting excessive load on the linea alba is increasing her post natal risk of having ongoing lower back pain, having urinary incontinence and having ongoing pot belly tummy.” Evans said Bridges’s high profile meant women who saw the photos would look at her and think they too could do the exercises. “I think she has a responsibility to ensure she’s doing the correct exercises,” she said.

Evans warned crunches can overload the abdominal wall tissue, causing Rectus Abdominus Diastasis, a condition affecting two thirds of women in their third trimester.

“If you look closely at Michelle’s tummy you will see a triangular shaped doming just above her belly button,” Evans said in her Facebook post.

“This is a clear sign that the linea alba is most definitely being overloaded, and doing this repeatedly can result in permanent tearing,” she wrote Evans says she was constantly getting feedback from pregnant and post partum women who felt frustrated by conflicting advice. Bridges’ Sydney-based publicist at Chic Celebrity Management, was contacted on Monday and said they had no comment.

Women’s health physiotherapist Vanea Atwood, said Bridges advocated many good things about fitness but admitted crunches while pregnant was concerning.

“It does have a huge effect. Michelle Bridges has a huge following which is great. She’s got some really positive great fantastic fitness things to offer women to empower them, to become stronger and more healthy,” she said.

“She’s advocating keeping fit, but in particular, doing isolation abdominal crunches is not the most appropriate exercise to keep firm during your pregnancy, not at all.”

Atwood said women should consult their physio on how to best train their abdominals and to prepare for labour.