As we head to the end of the year, it is important to try and go back to the basics so that we finish the year with a good bang of health. If you are in pain, I do guarantee you that reading and applying this article will reduce or if not get rid of your back pain (scout`s honor he he).
We would like to go back to the idea that in order to strengthen our bodies, we need to start with general exercises e.g. running , jogging, swimming to much specific exercises such as squats, lunges and planks. In this section, we would like to concentrate on the core muscles.
The core muscles are a group of muscles responsible for some very important functional movements in the body. The functions include; provide stability of the thorax and pelvis during dynamic movement. Provides internal pressure to expel substances like; vomit, urine and faeces and to prevent any leakage when laughing, coughing or sneezing, in women it helps during labor and delivery. It is also important that with the core tightening up it is able to generate power to either push, pull or resist outside forces. It is very crucial that we are able to keep the core good because if there is poor development then we are predisposed to injuries.
These core exercises are meant for every person regardless of pain or dysfunction. However, it might benefit more those people who are;
- pregnant (both pre- and post-natal women)
- younger women who have had children
- menopausal
- obese
- having urinary tract infections
- Constipating
- undergoing specific types of surgery such as prostatectomy (removal of all or part of the prostate) and hysterectomy (removal of all or part of the uterus and/or ovaries)
- reduced mobility preventing them from getting to or using the toilet
- having neurological and musculoskeletal conditions such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis
- having health conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart conditions, respiratory conditions, and prostate problems.
The exercises to maintain and help your core muscles be strong are easy and can be done as much as you can. It is not always easy to find your pelvic floor muscles. Exercising them should not show at all ‘on the outside’. You should not pull in your tummy excessively, squeeze into play, so try to isolate your pelvic floor as much as possible by not squeezing your legs together, not tightening your buttocks and not holding your breath. The lower tummy can very gently be drawn in as if pulling away from the zip of tight trousers. In this way most of the effort should be coming from the pelvic floor muscles.
Now you can find your pelvic floor muscles, here are the exercises to do:
1. Your pelvic floor muscles need to have stamina. So sit, stand or lie with your knees slightly apart. Slowly tighten and pull up the pelvic floor muscles as hard as you can. Try lifting and squeezing them as long as you can. Rest for 4 seconds and then repeat the contraction. Build up your strength until you can do 10 slow contractions at a time, holding them for 10 seconds each with rests of 4 seconds in between.
2. Your pelvic floor muscles also need to react quickly to sudden stresses from coughing, laughing or exercise that puts pressure on the bladder. So practice some quick contractions, drawing in the pelvic floor and holding it for just one second before relaxing. Try to achieve a strong muscle tightening with up to ten quick contractions in succession. Aim to do a set of slow contractions (exercise 1) followed by a set of quick contractions (exercise 2) 3-4 times each day. It takes time for exercise to make muscles stronger. You are unlikely to notice any improvement for several weeks – so stick at it! You will need to exercise regularly for at least 3 months before the muscles gain their full strength
A healthy core equals a healthy back.
By Michael Ombati,
Physiotherapist.
