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From elite training camps to professional and collegiate athletic fields, everyone is talking about “the core.” The buzz is filtering down to local gyms and playing fields, resulting in a surge of interest in strengthening the core muscles of the body.
The core is the central part of the body in which all body movement originates. The core muscles, located in the pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen, keep the body stable and support the spine during almost any activity or motion – sitting, standing, running, jumping, pushing, pulling, climbing and throwing. The core muscles help maintain stability and balance during sports, work and everyday activities. The activity could be as simple as pushing a floor mop or as intricate as turning in mid-air to catch a 50-yard pass.
According to James B. Dolan, M.D., a Board-certified orthopedic surgeon on staff at Mariners Hospital, the core muscles connect the upper and lower body movements.
“Strong core muscles keep your back healthy,” Dr. Dolan said. “They hold your body upright, improve your balance and enable you to really put some power in your arm and leg movements. If the core muscles are weak, your body doesn’t work as effectively, and other muscles have to pick up the slack. This can result in injuries such as a twisted knee, a pulled shoulder, or the classic bad back.”
A strong core also helps combat poor posture and lower back pain. It also helps prevent falls, especially in older adults.
Core strength training is essential to getting and keeping strong core muscles. The training will lead to more efficient use of the muscles of the shoulders, arms, and legs, better body balance and a lower risk of injury. According to Dr. Dolan, core strengthening exercises should be performed at least three times per week for maximum effectiveness. These exercises include tai chi, step aerobics, Pilates and yoga. In addition, an exercise ball is an excellent tool for working core muscles, because you must balance on the ball while exercising – a movement that engages the core.
Dr. Dolan also noted that, as with all exercises, core strengthening should be just one part of a complete fitness program. “It’s important to round out your regimen with aerobic exercise and flexibility training,” he said. “Strengthening the core without aerobic exercise to maintain the ability to supply energy to the core and without flexibility training to maintain the flexibility to transmit force through the joints of the arms and legs would defeat the whole purpose of all that hard core strengthening work you’ve done.”
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