Back Pain Exercise: Are “Core Training” Exercises Effective?
July 27, 2008 · Print This Article
Get the latest back pain relief strategies delivered directly to your email inbox. It's fast. It's easy. And best of all it's FREE! Just enter your email address in the "eNews & Updates" space provided in the upper right of this page and click the "Go" button. Thanks for visiting!
"Back pain exercise can range from simple isometric activities to highly targeted exercises to address specific muscle weakness not under our conscious control. Perhaps one of the most overrated therapeutic exercise regimens is “spinal stabilization” exercise.
The premise behind this exercise regimen involves attempts at retraining the core muscles of the trunk, which are the muscles responsible for providing the trunk dynamic stability during activity.
This system of utilizing spinal stabilization exercises or “core training” as it’s called today, was popularized in the late ’80’s when Joe Montana (the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers) underwent back surgery early in the season and was able to return to action during that same season. At the time, an unheard of feat. He attributed his fast recovery in part to the stabilization exercises used in the rehabilitation process following surgery.
Thus, the concept of spinal stabilization exercise (core training) was born. However…
In all but a few of the stabilization programs I’ve been exposed to, the routine is indiscriminately administered, poorly supervised, and does not take into account any of the overlapping muscle imbalances that influence the core stabilizers. As a result, there is zero benefit from this type of training.
A better way of exercising the “core” would be to address specific muscle imbalances first and then begin a very targeted exercise program aimed at engaging the deep spinal stabilizers - i.e. multifidus, rotatores, transversus abdominus, and rectus abdominus. In doing so, full spinal function is attained resulting in a better quality of movement and a more stable spine.
So, are core training exercises an effective means of treating back pain? Yes… if they’re sequenced properly and are done correctly.
To learn more about how to best treat specific muscle imbalances, take a look at this: End My Back Pain
I look forward to your questions and comments. Just fill out the form below.
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc
The Back Pain Expert
I have been doing core strengthening exercises to improve my posture. I have a herniated and two bulging discs in my neck, as well as bone spurs on c4,c5 and c6. I saw no improvement in my symptoms for the first two months but I am now starting to feel slightly better and my discomfort seems to be lessening. I think this is a beneficial technique as long as you remain positive and patient.
There’s no question that core strengthening is beneficial but… consider this,
Core strengthening in and of itself is not a panacea. It must be incorporated correctly
if it is to be effective at all.
In my experience, treatment programs that take longer than a month for the patient to
show any signs of improvement DO NOT constitute an effective program.
I used to tell my students (and still tell my patients) that if you were not effecting a change
in someone’s condition - good or bad - within 2 weeks, your program wasn’t working.
Often times (and spinal research supports this point), patients get better in spite of the clinician’s
best efforts not because of them.
I’m glad you’re doing better but you should be doing a WHOLE lot better after 2 months.
If you’d like to arrange a free phone consultation with me, go to http://eraseyourbackpain.com/contact
Thanks for your comments and for reading my blog.
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc
The Back Pain Expert