Are you suffering from low back pain for years, tried everything under the sun to get better, and are still having pain? You could be suffering from core weakness-related back pain that might not have been diagnosed. Medical practitioners often get stuck looking at the sight of pain for a solution, rather than the whole picture. That is where Kinach Chiropractic is different.
Today I wanted to go over the layers of the abdomen to help everyone understand their core a bit more.
The Layers Of The Core
Rectus Abdominis
External Obliques
Internal Obliques
Transverse Abdominis
Most people when they think of abs think of a shredded six-pack as they see on models. But that is only one part of the four layers that make up the core! The six-pack that you can see is called the rectus abdominis and is the top layer of all the abdominal muscles that make up the core. We all have a six-pack inside of us, and depending on your diet and exercise habits will determine if you are able to show them off or not.
The Rectus Abdominis controls our ability to flex and extend our upper body. It allows us to be able to pick stuff up off the floor and touch our toes. It is also very important in controlling our ribs from flaring and the front of the pelvis from tilting forward. Both phenomena can relate to low back pain!
The second layer is the External Oblique. This layer is found on the sides of the core. It allows us to lean from side to side and rotates us to the opposite side. It also aids the flexion of our upper body when they work together and helps control the ribs from flaring when lifting the arms overhead.
The third layer is the Internal Oblique. This layer is very similar to the external oblique layer but is found underneath it. The main difference is that it rotates the truck to the same side instead of the opposite side. This is important to note with rotational sports and when pain is felt in one direction or the other.
The fourth layer is the Transverse Abdominis (TA). This layer is by far the most important layer in our core. The TA acts as a corset. It provides a compressive force in our core to keep everything stable. If this muscle does not work properly, low back pain is almost inevitable. This muscle works for our posture, our breathing, and is very important with bracing and intra-abdominal pressure when lifting.
How does this all pertain to low back pain? Simply, if we can't brace ourselves with our core, our lower back joints and muscles take on the load. If this happens with we are lifting something and twisting, BAM, you could feel that sharp, stabbing pinch immediately. Understanding how to control these layers of the core can help us eliminate the chances of this happening by not putting our bodies in harmful positions!
As you can see, the core is a very integral part of the body. It helps with our posture, and our movement and helps with bracing when we are lifting objects or in the gym. Whether you are playing rotational sports, running, walking, or lifting in the gym, our core is what keeps us together and keeps us moving.
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