When beginning a strength program you can expect to see improvements in strength and muscle performance within 4-8 weeks. Like all strengthening programs, core strengthening follows the “use it or lose it principle.” This means that you will need to continue with a regular core strengthening program to maintain the strength gains you have achieved or a program of progressive overload to continue to see further gains in strength over time. You can find many ideas for core strengthening online but without proper technique, dosing or selection of exercises that are appropriate for your individual needs, you may not achieve the results you are hoping for and could even experience injury. Our team of physical therapists are movement experts and will evaluate the strength of the different components of your core in order to develop a core strengthening program that is appropriate to your level of strength and experience and takes pain, injury and comorbidities into account. We can then help you progress those exercises and individualize them to benefit the functional activities that you regularly perform in your day to day life so you can get the most out of those exercises.

A DEEPER LOOK INTO CORE STRENGTHENING

• Control the spine during movement of the limbs
• Protect the spine from excessive and possibly injurious loads
• Transfer load from the upper to the lower body
• Increase force production capabilities in the limbs
• Promote stabilization at proximal limb structures such as the shoulders and hips

• Transversus abdominis
• Internal obliques
• Diaphragm
• Multifidus
• Pelvic floor

• Hip muscles
• Erector spinae
• Quadratus lumborum
• Rectus femoris
• External obliques

If you decide to work with a physical therapist to help with Core Strengthening related issues, your entire treatment plan could consist of around 8-20+ different physical therapy for Core Strengthening sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your PT sessions yet in the comfort of your own home.

WHAT CONDITIONS CAN BENEFIT FROM CORE STRENGTHENING?

Because optimal movement depends on adequate core strength, everyone should incorporate core strengthening into their workout routine. However, physical therapists also see the benefits in prescribing individualized core strengthening to address many conditions such as:

• Low or mid back pain
• Pelvic floor dysfunction
• Limb pain or injuries
• Athletes recovering from injury
• Athletes looking to prevent injury
• Individuals whose jobs involve manual labor
• Individuals with respiratory difficulties

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A MOVEMENT AND EXERCISE EXPERT

Physical therapists are extensively trained in the principles of movement and exercise and this includes core strengthening. Because the core involves many more muscles than most realize, if you are looking to introduce core strengthening to help reduce pain, combat or prevent injury or enhance athletic performance, it is important to start at the right place and progress appropriately. Allowing one of our physical therapists to prescribe you an individualized core strengthening program confers many benefits over simply starting with exercises you’ve seen online. Some of the many benefits include:

You will undergo a comprehensive examination of any injuries, areas of pain or discomfort and discuss relevant medical conditions which allows the PT to prescribe exercises that can also help address pain and injury without added health risks

Your physical therapist will assess the strength and activation of all the different core muscles so they know which level of difficulty you should begin your core strengthening exercises

Your PT will teach you how to do the exercises correctly, observe you perform them and give you feedback to ensure they are as effective as possible

You have an expert at hand to help you troubleshoot if any unexpected difficulties or new symptoms arise as you begin your program

Your PT can teach you proper dosing to achieve the results you are looking for

You will learn how and when to progress these exercises so you can continue to make progress

As you can see, core strengthening is a valuable tool to treat many conditions and should be a regular part of everyone's exercise routine. If you are ready to learn how properly prescribed and progressed core strengthening can benefit you, call Evolve Physical Therapy today to get started with one of our experienced therapists.