Nose Creek Physical Therapy Information on the Abdominal Core

CLICK HERE for ABDOMINAL CORE EXERCISES
 

The Abdominal Core is located around the front and sides of the abdomen between the lower ribs and top of the pelvis. It is the inner most abdominal muscle, and functions like a girdle or the body’s natural weightlifting belt. When it contracts the waist narrows slightly and the lower abdomen flattens. The function is to stabilize the body as we move. Physical therapists advise that this function is critical in order to reduce the wear and tear on the joints that would occur daily if they were not stabilized.

Physiotherapists maintain that changes in responsiveness of the abdominal core can occur. For example, a person with lower back pain can experience problems with abdominal core contraction, muscle atrophy, and a change in the structure of the muscle fibers which makes them less effective at their job of stabilization. If not corrected, this dysfunction will remain even after a person has recovered. Without proper physiotherapy and care dysfunctional stabilization muscles may contribute to re-injury and new injuries.

Retraining our core muscles takes focus and practice. In order to retrain and condition the abdominal core follow these steps outlined by our Nose Creek Physical Therapists.

1. Learn to contract the abdominal muscles without contracting other muscles.

2. Perform abdominal exercises (link) to increase the endurance of this muscle.

3. Incorporate abdominal contraction into daily life activities.