Reduce Back Pain

Back pain can result from weaknesses in your ‘Core’ muscles What are your ‘Core’ Muscles, how do you activate them and how can you reduce the risks of back injury?

Your core is a reference to the deep muscles in your abdomen, back and pelvic region. Your ‘core’ supports you’re back reducing the chance of injury & improve co-ordination during movement and promote better posture.

To activate these areas properly there are a few things you can try;

1. Transverse Abdominus - runs horizontally around the abdomen.

Standing tall shoulders back place your hands on your stomach and break out into a laugh or cough, you should feel a deep layer of the abdomen activate.

2. Lumbar Multifidus – muscles lie deep within the body and run up either side of the spine.

Visualize a thin rope of muscle on each side of the spine hugging it and feel the support in the lower back.

3. Pelvic Floor Muscles - These muscles lie at the perineum in males and in the cervix in females.

This feeling is similar to that experienced when you hold on while needing to go to the toilet. Try and only contract this area lightly as too strong a contraction will engage the rectus abdominus making it harder to control the other core muscles.

4. Internal Obliques - run parallel to the transverse abdominus but are the next layer of muscle up. They wrap around the hips and waist and form a corset of strength.

Imagine pulling some threads which you visualise coming out of the sides of your waist you will be feeling the internal obliques contracting.

Try contracting and holding these for as long as you can in a neutral standing or seating position (aim for 1 minute).

These exercises will strengthen your ‘Core’ adding vital support & rigidity to the mid section.

Sue Wells | C2K Master Personal Trainer | 6 Apr 2009