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Core Stability

Soldiers go into battle wearing body armour for protection. It saves them from injury and ultimately they live to fight another day. You too go into 'battle' every day, fighting your way through crowds and traffic to make a living, but most of you aren't using your body armour. You make a sudden move, twist or turn to pick something up, and 'ouch!' You hurt your back.

We're talking about your body's 'core'. Every move you make eminates from your core, not your arms and legs. Most people view a strong core as the 'six pack'. This is only a small part of it. More important are the small muscles hidden deep inside the stomach and the low back. Your core is made up primarily of the Transverse Abdominals, Pelvic Floor muscles, diaphragm and multifidus (a lesser known stabilising back muscle). Together these muscles are designed to work in concert, to support your spine, help you balance, and act as a bridge between your upper and lower body, through the spine.

Working together, these muscles help protect your spine from injury and strain, and stabilise the lumbar area - the small of your back. The problem we face today is that long hours of sitting have caused these muscles to become lazy, because they don't have to work. Instead our bodies rely on the backrests of our seats for support - we slouch. Then when we find ourselves standing, needing spinal support in an everyday situation, these muscles are nowhere to be seen! Over the years, your armour has 'rusted up'.

When used correctly these 'inner' muscles help pull the stomach in and tighten the lower back, a bit like a corset. This causes a vacuum around the spine, leaving it well protected from sudden movement. Without the support of these muscles you are left with what we call a 'naked spine' - open to injury.

Low Back pain affects 70% of the population, young and old. In 80% of cases, it is reversible. Pain is largely down to muscular imbalance, starting with your transverse abs, which should be working in tandem with your low back muscles. Learning to co-contract these postural muscles correctly will literally form a shield around your midriff. This draws in the stomach and lower back, causing a vacuum to form around the spine, giving it protection.

A balanced back is self-supporting, requiring little help from surrounding muscles. Excess weight is a big factor in low back pain, as it exerts extra force on the back and stomach muscles as you try to maintain an upright posture. If you need to lose excess weight, we will aim to reduce the strain and pain in your back by helping you do so.