Is Core Training Necessary for Athletes??
Matthew Laing, MScPT, BPHE
If you’re an NBA fan, you’ve probably noticed a trend in this year’s short and condensed season…
- Andrea Bargnani – injured
Derrick Rose – injured
Too many NBA stars are spending this season on the injured list.
Now I don’t know what the players were doing for conditioning in their off-season, but my guess is a lot of these guys weren’t ready for the season because of the ‘lock-out’ and the really short training camp.
A study in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sport Physical Therapy looked at core muscles of Elite Aussie Footballers in the pre-season and then looked at who ended up with hip, thigh, or groin injuries during the season. What did they find?? Footballers with small multifidus muscle were more likely to get injured over the course of the season. What is the multifidus? It’s one of the important muscles in you inner core.
Think of it this way…your body is a machine. If you have a weak link the machine is going to break down somewhere. Your inner core stabilizes your lumbar spine and pelvis. It is the engine of the machine. If it’s broken down, or not working properly, you can bet that at some point, other parts of the machine will start to break down as well.
What does that mean to you as an athlete? You’re already active and want to start fixing that core? It is always best to get assessed by a physiotherapist so that he/she can isolate your issue and fix it quicker. But since we are already talking core and you’re already reading, here is one of my favorite exercises for activating the entire core muscle complex:
Everyone hates it…because it works. A couple of pointers: lie down on your stomach; elbows flat and toes pushing into the ground; squeeze your stomach and lift up so that you look like a plank of wood. Make sure you keep your knees straight, your buttocks tucked in, and try to pull your shoulder blades together. Now hold it as long as you can, without dipping your lower back or hips. Try this for three repetitions. And try to hold the position longer each time you try it.
So when you’re preparing for your next beer league season or resuming your recreational Ultimate Frisbee career, visit your physio to help PREVENT injury. You’ll be happy you did!
Matt is the co-owner and physiotherapist at Foundation Physiotherapy.