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With a great proportion of our community involved in passive desk jobs, or just commencing the road to fitness, exercise programs need to be tailored to meet individual client requirements in order to promote balanced muscle tone.
An ideal program is one that is linked to the client’s aims and goals, as well as strengthening areas that play an important role in injury prevention, musculo-skeletal balance and postural support. All aspects of the client's life work, rest and play should be considered when designing a suitable program.
Daily living and life’s associated activities can place undue demands on our bodies resulting in muscles imbalances. For example, sitting at work stations for long periods of time, repetitive tasks performed at work or at home can create over use syndrome in certain muscles. Most commonly tightness will occur in the frequently overused anterior muscles (chest / pecs), which often leads to poor posture, weakness in the upper and lower back which increases the risk of injury.
Most basic weight programs still focus on the use of the same muscles used in excess every day. For example many seated exercises perpetuate poor posture and compound existing imbalances. Ideally the program should incorporate core strength or stabilisation exercises, reversal exercises and stretching to encourage balance and correction.
Core stabilisation exercises, more commonly known, as functional exercises will help develop the (often forgotten) deeper postural muscles of the abdomen and spine. Functional exercises or FIS (functional isometric stabilisation), lead to greater flexibility, better posture, increased joint mobility and flow of movement. Overall these exercises will enhance the way you move or perform every day tasks.
WHAT AND WHERE ARE OUR DEEP CORE MUSCLES STABILISERS?
The transverse abdominous (holds pelvis together), and the erector spinae & multifidous muscles (keep vertebrae in place), are the deep set postural muscles of the abdomen and spine. These muscles are close to the joints of the spine and continuously work to support and protect the spine.
When activated these muscles help protect the spine from excessive load. We risk injuring or straining the spine each time we arch the back excessively, tilt the pelvis alternately, lift heavy loads incorrectly (eg. unsupported forward flexion) or sit for long periods in a slumped or awkward position.
By adopting good posture via core strength exercises you will avoid strain on joints, muscles and most importantly avoid becoming one of many people with a back injury!
You will become stronger; walk taller, your organs will have more room in order to function normally and your blood will circulate more freely.
NEUTRAL SPINE POSITION
The body performs at it's best when neutral spine is present. What we mean by this term is that when the spine is in neutral, the vertebral discs are not being pushed forward or backward and ligaments are not stretched or shortened. Tight hip flexors or weak core stabilisers will compromise a neutral spine position or the ability to maintain a natural S curve in your spine. Reminder or reinforcement of a neutral spine is vital during exercise. It generates the greatest activation of the deep core muscles and enhances isolation of the muscle you are targeting in each exercise.
This is easier said than done as it requires internal awareness (mind body connection), along with the connection of correct posture, shoulder stabilisation and breath.
Patience in teaching and learning the following techniques is required, and clients need to be aware that it may take several weeks to master this technique. These exercises are great as ‘homework” to be done each evening between PT sessions!
Here are some examples of these exercises. Once mastered in a lying position you can progress to standing,then from a stable base such as the floor, to a series of exercises on the swiss ball!
Method 1. Neutral spine in supine position
*Lay down on the floor on your back, heels a short distance away from you buttocks.
*Slide your hands down the floor towards your feet (encourage space between the ears & shoulders), open your shoulders softly to the floor.
*Place one hand under the small of your back (where natural curve exists)
*Gently draw your navel towards your spine in order to make light contact between your back and your hand. Breathe naturally and hold this contraction for 10 seconds. Relax.
*Repeat this procedure, this time removing the hand under the back if you can. Maintain the contraction and breathe for 10 seconds. Relax.
*Slowly build up this exercise to 10 x 10 contractions whenever you have time during the day.
Method 2. Neutral spine in standing.
*Stand with feet a small distance away from a wall, buttocks, back, shoulders and head against wall. Ensure your head is straight and eyes are focused on the horizon.
*Encourage space between the ears & shoulders by gently retracting scapula.
*Once again place one hand between the wall and the natural lumbar curve of your spine. Gently draw navel in and create contact between your back and hand. Don’t raise or hunch shoulders. Breathe naturally and hold this contraction for 10 seconds. Relax.
*Repeat this procedure, this time removing the hand behind your back. Maintain the contraction and breathe for 10 seconds. Relax.
*Repeat this procedure, this time slowly stepping away from the wall. Walk around the room and maintain your newfound perfect posture!
*Now RELAX & FEEL THE DIFFERENCE!
PELVIC FLOOR CONNECTION
Pelvic floor muscles also play a part in deep core activation. Technically they are not deep core muscles, however, the contraction of the pelvic floor does however help to stabilise the core.
SHOULDER STABILISATION
Shoulder stabilisation will assist in minimising the activation of the upper chest and neck muscles. These muscles are often already overworked and often responsible for poor posture or imbalance.
By stabilising the shoulder girdle we aim to strengthen the muscles that may overcome imbalances (lower traps, serrates anterior, deep neck flexors).
To understand shoulder stabilisation simply -
*Relax, and draw shoulders into a soft V shape down your back.
*Lengthen the back of your neck in standing by growing tall through the crown of your head, create more space between ears and shoulders, and relax jaw. In lying, think about sliding your head up the floor or mat away from feet, slide fingers towards feet and soften face, relax jaw.
BREATH CONNECTION
Incorporation of diaphragmatic breathing will assist in activation of the core muscles. The focus should be on continual regular breathing and on breathing into the lowest ribs, creating a wide full action of the ribcage. The ribcage should move laterally. A good cue or visualisation is to hold their lower ribs with your hands, breath into your hands to feel the lateral movement. Avoid doming of the abs or noticeable rising and falling of the chest, or upward movement of the shoulders.
WAYS TO GET MOVING ON CORE STRENGTH
Repetitive standing position.
Alleviate this by frequent checks of your posture. Draw in the abs slightly, allow natural curve of spine, and bend knees slightly. Alternate feet onto a footrest when standing in one place for long periods of time- this relieves sway back.
Repetitive sitting position.
The ideal sitting position is one that involves varying postures and positions. Changing positions on the chair every 10min or so alleviates excess tissue load, which in turn will alleviate tissue micro trauma.
*Relieve strain by sitting well forward on the chair, tighten abs and cross knees.
*Use a footrest for sway back and keep knees higher than hips.
*Sit on a swiss ball. A swiss ball will create an unstable base of support and naturally utilise and encourage activation of the stabilisers. If this is ergonomically incorrect, have one in the office for use in other tasks eg: answering the phone, reading notes or memos.
*Take time out to stretch back on the swiss ball (counter act tight pecs)
*Use a stability disc on the chair.
*Use a lumbar roll or rolled towel behind your back when sitting to encourage the S curve in your spine instead of slouching.
*GET OUT OF THE CHAIR
*At regular intervals (every hour), simply stand up and get out of the chair. Move around!
*Use a buzzer or timer to remember to stand or change chair position.
*Perform a simple stretch, which involves using the opposite action to the one involved in sitting -
Simply stand in a relaxed manner for 10 – 20 seconds. Allow redistribution of the nucleus and reduce stress.
Inhale deeply and at the same time raise arms slowly overhead and push heel of hands towards ceiling. In doing so you will take your back through a gentle progressive lumbar extension, dispelling the stresses of sitting for long periods.
PAIN AND POSTURE
Injury and associated pain can influence stability and posture. In case of injury or pain always consult and work with a sport medicine specialist or physiotherapist. Repetitive stresses, poor posture, excessive flexion or extension may result in further damage or compression of vertebral discs.
In collaboration with expert advise (sport doctor, physio, rehab specialist or Cert IV personal Trainer), you will be able to identify weaknesses and assist in improving posture, stability and core strength.
By Marg Anderson Regenerate Personal Training (Article written for Focus On Magazine)
