Want to Learn How to Strengthen Your Core? Here Are Exercise Tips from an Institute of Sport Physio

1. July 20, 2017 Want to Learn How to Strengthen Your Core? Here Are Exercise Tips from an Institute of Sport Physio We hear this practically all the time. If you want to keep your body fit and healthy, don't just eat right. You have to make sure that you exercise regularly too. The problem is exercising has some serious dangers to it, especially if you are not sure your body is prepared to handle the rigorous activity without experiencing any pain. You may not realize it but this may be because of your core. Page | 1

2. The body’s core refers to muscles that serve as a vital link between your lower and upper body. No matter what kind of motion you do, it ripples downwards and upwards throughout your body. Hence, when you’ve got a weak core, your leg and muscle strength may be compromised, leading you to become more prone to injuries. Depending on the kind of exercise you normally do, you can end up with a strained back, strained shoulder, achilles tendinitis, pulled hamstring, torn hamstring, ACL injuries and PCL injuries if your core is not up to the task. Meanwhile, if you run without taking the time to strengthen your glute, hip and quad muscles, you can suffer from runner's knee, which is an irritation of the cartilage right underneath your kneecap. This particular injury is actually all too common, generally making up around 40 percent of all running injuries. To keep injuries from happening, you need to work on strengthening your core first before you put on yourself on any other rigorous workout routine or activity. This way, you can stay fit and healthy without compromising the muscles, tendons and ligaments around your body. Not quite sure how to do this? Here are core strengthening exercises recommended by an Institute of Sport physio that you can easily follow: Pelvic Bowl Start by lying back with your knees raised and your feet gripping the floor while your arms are facing down at the sides. Raise your right hipbone as high as you possibly can. Hold the pose for a moment. Slowly shift and raise your left hipbone. Proceed to sway gently from right to left. Do this for 15 repetitions. Spinal Impressions Using a cushioned mat, start by sitting upright with your arms out in front of your shoulders and keep your elbows slightly bent. Round back gently and then slowly roll backward, imprinting your lower back then your mid-back and finally, your upper back down. The moment your body is rounded all the way down, use your hamstrings in order to get yourself to sit back into an upright position. Perform this exercise for 15 repetitions. Page | 2

3. Arm Reaches Start by sitting with your legs extended and your feet turned into a V position with your toes pointed. Contract your core muscle and roll your spine into a C-curve. Afterwards, lift your arms and move them as if you are trying to climb a rope. Twist your arms just slightly with each reach. Work on doing 20 reaches with each arm. Follow these exercises and you should feel your core becoming much stronger in no time. In case you start feeling anything though, remember to see your physiotherapist right away. This way, the problem can be treated before it gets much worse and disrupts your workout days. About Institute of Sport Physiotherapy: At the Institute of Sport Physiotherapy, we take pride in providing various treatment therapies designed to provide give long-lasting pain relief whether you are experiencing sports injuries, lower back pain, neck pain, nerve pain, joint pain and more. Our physio will work with you to heal your pain and strengthen your core to avoid injuries. Sources: 10 tips for exercising safely, health.harvard.edu How to Exercise Safely, everydayhealth.com The Most Common Exercise Injuries (and How You Can Avoid Them), lifehacker.com, The real-world benefits of strengthening your core, health.harvard.edu Page | 3