Following on from my last article where I asserted that mechanical back problems are NOTprincipally a medical problem. I thought it appropriate to expand a little more on this subject.
Core stability is something physiotherapists, trainers, the medical media and many others continually uphold as something we should all aspire to. But what exactly is it and why is it important? In its simplest form it is the ability of the trunk muscles to maintain a certain solidity and firmness in the torso. This is important so that when limb movement exerts leverage on the trunk it can withstand this pressure and provide a stable base for the muscles of the pelvis and shoulder girdle to efficiently control movement of the leg and arm. At a more complex level better stability in the trunk provides enhanced control of the local movement of one vertebrae on its neighbour, minimising impingement of soft tissues surrounding the spinal joints. Additionally it offers better shock absorbance and helps to reduce the pressure on all vertebral structures.
What then is the best way to develope core stability? Many people find Pilates classes very helpful which indeed they can be. They teach appropriate exercises which help people to discover muscles that have often been neglected for years. A word of warning, however; it is not enoughto attend a class for one or two hours a week and do nothing in between. The core stability muscles being postural muscles should be used constantly, albeit at a low level. The best way to train them is to use them in conjunction with normal daily activities whether this is driving a car, desk, pushchair or supermarket trolley. If a choice has to be made between an exercise class or regular daily use 'on the job', it is the latter that would be the outright winner. A physiotherapist can show you how to recruit and use these muscles allowing you to exercise whilst you get on with your life.
Core stability is vitally important for us all. It has benefits for most back problems . It is a good example of effective treatment that lies outside what is conventionally associated with medical intervention. Indeed it is, in some ways, a reversion to a time at the beginning of the twentieth century when backs were largely self-managed and doctors played little or no role in their treatment.