Health blog Category: Core/Abdominal
The Importance Of A Strong Core
When most people think of the core, they think of the abdominals and doing sit-ups and generally know that one needs to have good core strength. Beyond that, most people don’t know much else about the core.
So what are the core muscles and what do they really do? The core muscles consist of the muscles surrounding and providing stability and postural control to the torso, abdomen and pelvis. These muscles help provide for a stable foundation on which the arms and legs can move and transfer forces.
The Connection Between Core Strength and Better Balance
Physical therapy as an industry has been talking about the link between core strength and better balance for years. When the “core” muscles around our trunk are strong, they prevent chronic lower back pain and many other injuries, but they also keep us from losing our balance and falling down. A stronger core will help to keep you upright — especially as you age and start to become more at risk of falling. If you’d like to get started on a core routine to improve your balance, contact Loudoun Sports Therapy today to speak with a physical therapist!
Read full blogWhat Our Core Workout Should Also Include
The core must be one of the most complex features of the human body. Everything we do involves the core. What is the core exactly? A lot of people think it’s those wonderful six-pack abs. But really that’s not the core, that’s only a small component of the core. So what else makes up the core?
- Your abdominal muscles
- Your hip muscles
- Your back muscles
- The muscles that surround your pelvis
You need all those muscles to be working well together as a team in order to have good core strength.
Read full blogWhat are the core muscles and what do they do?
By: Rachel Herrmann, DPT, PT
When most people think of the core, they think of the abdominals and doing sit-ups and generally know that one needs to have good core strength. Beyond that, most people don’t know much else about the core.
So what are the core muscles and what do they really do?
The core muscles consist of the muscles surrounding and providing stability and postural control to the torso, abdomen and pelvis.
Planking Our Way to A Full-Body Workout
It’s true! You can get a full body workout with one exercise. It may sound like a myth, but there is one legendary strengthening and stabilization move that will simultaneously work your arms, shoulders, chest, upper and lower back, abdominals, gluteals and quadriceps: the plank!
Physical and Mental Challenge
Holding a plank is certainly a physical challenge, but it’s often just as much of a mental workout. It’s easy to psych yourself out and quit when you start feeling “the burn” before you truly reach muscle fatigue.
Read full blogHow a Tree Trunk Relates to the Upper and Lower Body
Many people will experience some form of lower back pain in the course of their life. There are many factors that can contribute to lower back pain. Some of the most common sources include:
- Muscle Strains
- Overuse Injuries
- Disc and Skeletal Issues
- Poor Posture
When treating lower back pain, it is important to address body mechanics and more importantly, strengthen your core. Focusing on core strength is one of the most effective ways to help ease lower back pain.
Read full blog5 Causes of Poor Posture
I don’t know about you, but growing up I constantly heard “stand up straight”, “don’t slouch”, “keep your shoulders back”. Good posture is something that we are taught but don’t always think about as we carry on with our daily activities until we start to notice aches and pains. It’s often easy to see and point out signs of bad posture on other people, but it can be harder to notice and break poor postural habits of our own.
Read full blogAddressing Back Problems Starts With Assessing the Core
Why are we focusing on your core if you’re here for a back problem? This is a question we often hear in physical therapy and with good reason. Wouldn’t you wonder why you were being instructed to strengthen a part of your body that isn’t necessarily where you’re feeling pain or discomfort? When it comes to patients who are here for back pain, part of their treatment plan involves strengthening their core. But why? Let’s talk spinal anatomy, muscular imbalances and posture.
Read full blogGet to the CORE of the Problem
The core must be one of the most complex features of the human body. Everything we do involves the core. A lot of people think the core is just the abdominal muscles. But that’s only a small component of the core. What else makes up the core?
- Your abdominal muscles
- Your hip muscles
- Your back muscles
- The muscles that surround your pelvis.
You need all those muscles to be working well together as a team in order to have good core strength.
Read full blog