Body Core Strength and Chiropractic

The core of your body is one of the most important areas of your body to keep strong and in shape.  If you think about it, every movement you make is somehow related back to your core.  Play sports, doing housework, dancing, you name it, a strong core makes everything work better.

As a person becomes more and more out of shape, they are less inclined to do many of the activities they used to.  One excuse someone who is out of shape will tell you, is that they are simply too tired to do much of anything.  But what they probably don’t realize, is that the more out of shape they become, the weaker their body core becomes, and while the excuse of being too tired may seem true, in reality, their body is simply not able to do many of the things they used to, because of core weakness.

How a Strong Core Helps Us in Every Day Life

There are so many things we do every day, by rote, things we don’t really pay attention to, like bending over to tie our shoes, bending down to feed our pets, carrying groceries, the acts of standing up or sitting down…all of things require good balance.  As we age and become out of shape, we start to take notice when we are performing these sorts of things, and commonly complain that bending down hurts the back, reaching for things on a high shelf isn’t as easy as it used to be, and we seem to be a bit clumsier.  Why?  It’s all about the core.  

The core is made up of many muscles that all work in tandem to help us do every day things.  Some of these muscles are referred to as ‘stabilizers’, and others are referred to as ‘movers’.  The stabilizers are attached to the spine and they help us move, and the movers support the stabilizers.  Many people make the mistake of believing that all we need are toned abs to have a strong core, but as you’ve just learned, there’s a little bit more to it than just the abs.

Lifestyle Changes

It goes without saying that if you are overweight and out of shape, losing weight is a must.  You may need to give your diet a complete overhaul.  This means ensuring you are eating a nutritious, well balanced diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, grains and dairy.

Adding in twenty minutes of walking each day is another excellent way to improve your health and muscle strength. It may not seem like much, but every little bit matters.

Keeping the Core Strong

As a society, we have become more and more sedentary over time, particular since the advent of computers.  Many of us spend far too much time living our lives in a sitting position! But there are many things you can do throughout the day to help strengthen your core muscles.  

A perfect way to begin is to ensure that all of your joints are working properly.  A visit to your Chiropractor is an excellent choice.  Your Chiropractor will be able to address any subluxations (vertebrae that are misaligned), which will make core strengthening exercises easier and more effective.

Once you’ve had all of your adjustments, the next step is a small but powerful one – ensuring that you practice good posture at all times.  This will help realign your muscles back into proper position.

Throughout the day, get up and walk around a bit then do a series of stretches to help lubricate your muscles.  

Once you feel that you are strong enough, the next step is to begin practicing actual exercises that will help strengthen your core.  Start slow and light and work your way up.  Many people find that yoga is a great way to start.  There are lots of beginner classes you can join your neighborhood, and tons of videos available online that will help you get started.  As your core strength increases, you will find that those tasks that you were previously ‘too tired’ to complete, will become easier.  

And as your strength builds even more, you can begin to explore more intense exercise options like Pilates, and specialty classes that focus entirely on your core.

Maintaining Your Results

Your core muscles require constant attention in order to stay strong.  As noted above, simply practicing good posture, and visiting your Chiropractor are two of the ways you can maintain your results.  Here are a few other things you can do at home to keep up the good work:

• Use a fitness ball while you watch TV.  A fitness ball is a special exercise devices that you will use to improve not only your core strength, but all of the other muscles in your body.  It will also help improve your balance.
• Use exercise bands.  The resistance provided by exercise bands is almost as good as that provided by free weights.
• Stretching is vital to maintaining core strength.  Any time you have a few minutes to spare, do a few stretches to keep your muscles well lubricated.

Summary

Having good core strength is something we take for granted, but we sure do notice it when we become out of shape.  With a few lifestyle changes, regular exercise and visits to your Chiropractor, you can greatly improve and strengthen your core muscles.

Not only will you look better and feel better, your body will be better able to handle everyday tasks much easier.  The result is that the other muscles of your body will also function properly, reducing your risk of developing back and neck problems, bad knees etc.

When you are ready to begin undoing the damage of everyday life, start with a visit to Broadway AT Yew Chiropractic & Massage.  Our Chiropractors will make sure that you are working with the best possible joint health.