Do you know what your core is?

by | Aug 18, 2011 | Blog, Pilates

Do you know what your core is?

When most people hear the words core stability they think of endless crunches and sit-ups. Well you may be surprised to hear that these are definitely NOT your core stability exercises. These exercises work your superficial abdominal muscles not the deep core stabilising muscles. Your core muscles are your transversus abdominus, pelvic floor, multifidus and diaphragm.

If you have poor core control then you have an increased likelihood of developing lower back and neck pain. A weak core can also lead to a large variety of sporting injuries both acute and overuse injuries.

The good news is that your core is made up of MUSCLES and these muscles can be retrained and strengthened. SO if you have poor core stability now, it doesn’t mean you will have poor stability forever. It just takes some time and discipline to strengthen these muscles. By improving your core control you will reduce the likelihood of developing a ‘bad’ back and definitely improve your posture.

If you have had an episode of lower back pain the research tell us that there is a significant risk of reoccurrence if you DO NOT retrain your core. The only way to prevent a reoccurrence is to get that core working. Improving your core stability also significantly improves athletic performance. Most elite athletes, as part of their training, do specific exercises to improve their core stability. They know that if your core is weak you will perform poorly and you are at an increased risk of injury.

Getting these core muscles working is tricky. You will need to seek the assistance of a physio who will be able to sit down with you and really make sure you are activating the correct muscles. The best way to do this is to use a Real time Ultrasound to look at your core muscles. By looking at the muscles we are able to ensure that you strengthening the correct muscles. Once we know you are able to activate these muscles correctly we are able to set you up on a core stability program to progressively strengthen these muscles. If however you lack the motivation to do home exercises our Pilates classes are a fantastic way of improving core strength under the guidance of a physio.

 

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