Are You Puzzled by How to Get Your Core Stronger?
Do you feel like you have done hundreds of crunches and sit ups without seeing results? That may be because you are missing pieces of the core puzzle! The core is actually made up of four very important structures, NOT just your “6 pack muscle.”
FIRST, the diaphragm is a muscle that sits under the ribcage and moves up and down to allow your lungs to fill with air; it acts as the top piece of your puzzle.
NEXT, the pelvic floor resides between your sits bones and it supports your internal organs, aids in sexual function, and controls the exit of fluids and stool. Your pelvic floor has to be able to move up and down to manage the contents of your abdomen. It acts as the bottom piece of your puzzle.
THEN, the deep muscles of the back function as the back piece of the puzzle. They support your spine during bending, lifting, and twisting.
FINALLY, your ab muscle deep under that 6 pack is called the transverse abdominus. This muscle looks like a corset to support and stabilizer with full body movement. It works with the pelvic floor to support organs while managing pressure. It acts as the front piece of the puzzle.
If your core puzzle isn’t connected, or in some cases jammed into one another, you can end up with back pain, leakage, pelvic pain, hernias, or even thigh pain! The optimal core system has the diaphragm and pelvic floor working in unison to manage pressure during movement, with the abs and back muscles supporting the core under load. If you have core puzzle dysfunction, you may pee when you squat, have back pain when you lift, or feel unable to keep up with the core portion of your workout class!
Here at Move Smart, we address the entire core puzzle to give you the most optimal system so you can live without the fear of hurting your back during moving or being able to keep up in workout class! We value your story and look at your function through the lens of all the pieces working together. We can address low back pain and feelings of weakness in the core as well as leakage or pelvic pain with activity.
If you’re interested in learning more give us a call to learn more about how we can help OR attend any one of our free upcoming pelvic floor workshops. Workshops can be found by clicking the event tab on our homepage.
Written by: Leah Wright, Student Physical Therapist and Kelsey Karnes PT, DPT