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Core stability and its importance to runningDuring my first year of seeing athletes in my private practice I have found out the majority do not know what core stability is or its importance in relation to running as evidence shows it can improve your posture, running economy and prevent injury occurrence. This article will explain the muscles involved in core stability and their role. I have included a step nine introduction to core stability, which is worth trying to understand how to contract the right muscles, which will then lead onto a program I have designed. Running Injuries and Repetitive Motion Running injuries are commonly attributed to faulty biomechanics and errors in training methods. Faulty training techniques include:
Although these important aspects of a running program should be addressed, runners should also consider the cumulative effect that thousand of repetitive motions have on their bodies. Even with good biomechanics and excellent training, runners are always exposed to a considerable amount of cumulative trauma. It is advisable to be aware of preventative methods. What is core stability? The core of your body is where you derive your power; it provides the foundation for all arm and leg movements. Your core must be strong, flexible, and unimpeded in its movements to achieve maximum performance. What muscles are involved in core stability? Core stability is not just about strengthening your abdominals to show a six-pack. Most of the muscles are deep within your torso and start from the hip and go right up to the neck and shoulders. They connect the pelvis, spine and shoulders, when strong they can generate powerful movements with the arms and legs but when an imbalance occurs so can injury. Multifidus Is very deep muscle that runs from the neck (C3) to the lumbar spine (L5). Approximately two thirds of the static support in your back is produced through contraction of the Multifidus muscle. Interspinales, Intertransversarii, and Rotatores These are deep structures that attach directly to the spinal column. These are very important for rotatory motion and lateral stability. Internal/External Obliques & Transversus Abdominis These structures transmit a compressive force, and act to increase intra-abdominal pressure that stabilizes the lumbar spine. Erector Spinae These muscles help to balance all the forces involved in spinal flexion. Quadratus Lumborum This muscle stabilizes the 12th rib during respiration and laterally flexes the trunk. Thoracolumbar Fascia This area supplies tensile support to the lumbar spine, and are used for load transfer throughout the lumbar region. Training for long hours does not guarantee that you have core stability. Spending too much time working within one plane of motion often creates core imbalances. Combined with stresses caused by poor posture during running and you have an equation for the development of a weak core. Many athletes will do gym work to strengthen areas of weakness but the core is complex and works in many planes of movement. Unfortunately, many weight machines only work through one plane of motion (usually sagittal). Imbalances Optimum posture is based on the attainment of a balance between primary muscle movers and their opposing muscles. This is referred to as a force coupled relationship. Muscles act in opposition to each other to create a movement. An imbalance is created when one muscle group is overworked in comparison to its opposing structure. Many athletes will perform sit up after sit up thinking of how they will benefit but what this is actually doing is shortening the stomach muscle by over working it and actually lengthening the opposing muscle which controls the movement and therefore opens the back up to injury. In a runner this can change running posture and decreases running economy. Here are some examples of what a shortened rectus Abdominis (muscle when developed shows a six pack) can do to running economy A shortened Rectus Abdominis will pull the runners posture forward. This causes a braking action that reduces running economy. As the Rectus is shortened, it pulls the chest forward and pushes the head down. In order to look straight ahead, the athlete wastes a considerable amount of force in trying to overcome the contracted Rectus Abdominis. As the shoulders move forward, a shortened Rectus Abdominis causes the arms to rotate internally. This makes keeping your arms relaxed at the recommended 90-degree angle much more difficult, again reducing running economy. It is also worth saying that by changing the bodies posture (by muscle balance) and causing a forward posture, this can lead to lower limb injuries as you have to remember everything is interlinked so what happens in the core of the body can affect what the limbs are doing. The majority of athletes will more than likely have more than one slight imbalance. Many athletes are unaware that they have any imbalances and have no symptoms. However for those that do, if the imbalances have been present for a while specific tissues that are restricted will need physically working back to its normal texture, tension, and length by using soft-tissue manipulation methods performed by a therapist. What can you do? This article is for you to understand the importance of core stability. It is to make you aware what core stability is and how to start training it through simple exercises. The exercises I have included are the basics to get you started as you get use to them progression is needed as you need to remember: Motion is not an isolated event that occurs in one direction. Body movement is a complex event involving agonists and antagonists structures that work together to create motion and to stabilize the body in all three directional planes. The basic movement that must be learned first before any other exercise can begin is called hollowing. Taken from: - http://www.cambsphysicaltherapy.co.uk/CoreStabilityExercises.rtf By going through the 9-step introduction you will learn how to prepare your posture for the following core stability program, which includes 5 strengthening exercises and 5 stretches Abdominal Hollowing is the preparation phase to all the exercises to be performed Stretching exercises hold each stretch for at least 10 seconds and perform 2-3 times 2) Lying supine one knee to chest and repeat with other leg, then repeat taking both knees to chest. This can be further advanced to straight leg raise using a towel or belt. 3) Hip rotation lying on your back, knees bent feet flat on the floor slowly drop knees to one side and then the other. 4) Basic lengthening lying on your back arms above head stretch as long as you can. 5) Childs Pose stand and lunge backwards and make a bridge with your body on all fours then lower your bum towards your heels keeping your arms stretched out in front as far as you can, then return to bridge position and lunge forward and return to standing with arms stretched above head, 6) Cat pose position self on all fours curve spine upwards like a cat Strengthening exercises perform 1 set of 10 reps of each exercise and build up slowly to 2 sets 7) Superman pose can be done lying face down or on all fours, stretching opposite arm to leg. 8) Bridging lying on floor perform pelvic tilt and abdominal push down first then raise bottom off floor, can be advanced to high platform or one leg. 9) Basic sit-up pelvic tilt and abdominal push down with crunch at the end 10) Plank facing the floor pelvic tilt and tighten abdominals raise self on to elbows and toes hold position keeping back straight and lengthening. 11) Pelvic tilt and abdominal push down can be used as a strengthening exercise by placing small towel or cushion under lower back and push into towel/cushion and hold for 5-10 seconds. The spine should flatten. As you progress you may bring in aids like Swiss ball, foam rolls, wobble cushions. |
