It is well known that a strong core to the body distributes the stresses of weight bearing and protects the back. This is also referred to as core stability whose goal is to maintain a solid foundation and transfer energy from the centre of the body out to the limbs.
Strengthening the core muscles reduces back pain and it has been shown that weak and unbalanced core muscles are linked with low back pain. Stronger, balanced core muscles help maintain appropriate posture and reduce strain on the spine.
Muscles which enhance core stability are known as core muscles, a set of muscles which run around the mid riff of the body. People frequently work hard at abdominal exercises to build up what is commonly known as a “six-pack”, which get its name from it appearance in fit and thin individuals. However, there are many core muscles and building core muscle strength requires much more than just abdominal exercises.
Core muscles include:
The Multifidus muscles which are located under along the vertebral column. These muscles extend and rotate the spine the spine.
The External Oblique muscles which are located on the side and front of the abdomen.
The internal oblique muscles which are located under the external obliques, running in the opposite direction.
The Transverse Abdominis (TVA) which is located under the obliques, it is the deepest of the abdominal muscles (muscles of your waist) and wraps around your spine for protection and stability.
The Erector Spinae; a group of three muscles running along your neck to your lower back.
The Hip Flexors; located in front of the pelvis and upper thigh.
The Gluteus medius and minimus; located at the side of the hip,
The Gluteus maximus, hamstring group, piriformis; located in the back of the hip and upper thigh leg.
The Hip adductors; located at medial thigh.
Visit sportsmedicine.about.com for the full breakdown of muscles involved in core stability.
The biggest benefit of core training is to develop functional fitness, which means fitness that is essential to both daily living and regular activities. The question is; how can this be achieved when an individual already has lower back pain and finds any level of exercise a challenge.
VertiBaX Sensory Muscle Therapy provided by the VertiBaX Lower Back Sensory Multi-Pack is helping many people get back to a level of exercise they could only previously have dreamt about.
The Lower Back: Active Support provides compression support and pain relief during activity and the Lower Back: Healthcare Sensory Belt keeps muscles warm and relaxed, increasing blood circulation to the core muscles after exercise thereby increasing the rate of the healing process.
These products are also proving to be a great success with athletes and sports people who are looking to maximize the benefits their bodies get from training sessions, whilst keeping their core muscle groups healthy. Wearing the VertiBaX Lower Back: Healthcare Sensory Belt between training sessions increases an athlete's recovery rate, whilst the VertiBaX Lower Back: Active Support provides increase stability to core muscle groups, reducing the risk of injury.
Exercises used to strengthen the core muscles include those using Medicine Balls, Kettlebells, Stability Balls, Balance Products such as the Bosu Ball, balance boards and wobble boards.
Disclaimer: Professional independent medical advice should be taken before acting on any of the information given in this article.
As children grow the effective development of muscle groups in the back is essential if they are to enjoy a full range of movements and bodily control. Many children suffer from muscle tension related problems which can leave them pain ridden on a daily basis. However, a true inability to control muscle tone and action is seen in children who suffer from Cerebral Palsy.
Cerebral Palsy is a physical condition that affects movement resulting from an injury to the brain. About one in 500 children born in the UK develops Cerebral Palsy and each child has their own unique pattern of movement problems. The main types of Cerebral Palsy are:
- Spastic Cerebral Palsy; where some of the muscle groups in the body are tight, stiff and weak.
- Athetoid Cerebral Palsy; where control of muscles is disrupted by spontaneous and unwanted movements.
-Ataxic Cerebral Palsy; where problems include difficulty with balance, shaky movement of hands and feet, and difficulty with speech.
Sufferers of Cerebral Palsy may experience difficulty in walking, writing, eating, talking and dressing. They may have problems with balance and co-ordination, difficulty in controlling and maintaining posture, visual difficulties, hearing problems, learning difficulties and Epilepsy. However, it is a misconception that people with Cerebral Palsy have learning difficulties. This misconception has arisen because people with Cerebral Palsy have problems controlling their facial movements and speech, making them difficult to understand at first. For more information visit www.bbc.co.uk/health.
Although there is no cure for Cerebral Palsy there are treatments and therapies available that can reduce the impact of the condition. VertiBaX have developed a back support belt for children with physiotherapists and parents of children with Cerebral Palsy, to provide a product that helps with posture, whilst bringing additional sensory stimulation to muscle groups in the back. The neoprene based sensory belt has uniquely shaped vapour chambers and strategically placed fabric pads, providing beneficial levels of back support whilst increasing the blood flow to muscle groups in the covered area, thereby stimulating muscle action. This product is now being used across Europe to treat a range of child back pain causing conditions.
Further information and treatments available for children with Cerebral Palsy can be found at www.scope.org.uk and www.bobath.org.uk.
The Lower Back: Active Support from VertiBaX has become the back support of choice for supplier of leading products to rally co-drivers across the world www.pacenote.com.
The product is manufactured from high density 3mm neoprene by VertiBaX and is worn during periods of activity, providing stability to muscles in the body's core without restricting movement. Its unique shape ensures that it can be worn under or over clothes and has proven to be particularly comfortable and effective when the body is in the sitting position.
As all body movements originate from the core muscles, the additional stability provided by the Active Support stabilises the body whilst bumping up and down forest tracks, relieving existing pains and preventing further injury.
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