Core strength and stability can straighten posture, reduce risk of injury and improve athletic performance. It can not only improve athletic performance, but also the ability to perform tasks of daily living.
The purpose of your core is to maintain the stability of your body as you reach, stretch, bend. Your core is an integral part of daily activity. Keeping your core healthy will make your arms and legs stronger, make daily work easier and help to avoid injury.
Lia Anderson, PT, DPT will be presenting Get to the CORE of Injury Prevention on Tuesday, October 11 at 11am and again on Thursday, October 13 at 6pm in The Wellness Center at WVU Medicine Berkeley Medical Center.
The core can have an effect on low back pain, hamstring injury, ankle weakness and knee injuries. “Your core is the base for all of your lower body movement. If that isn’t stable, you are vulnerable to injury anywhere from the foot and ankle to the back,” states Anderson.
“Most people think that having a strong core is about having strong abs. There’s much more to it than that,” emphasizes Anderson. Core training exercises need to focus on muscles of the abdomen, hips, back and chest. These muscles work together to balance and stabilize the body.
“You need to do exercises for all these muscle to balance out the muscle groups,” states Anderson, adding, “If you only do crunches and bench press and then sit at a desk all day, you become front heavy pulling your body forward into a slouching position. Core exercises should open you up so you can sit and stand tall with good posture.”
Get to the CORE of Injury Prevention is being offered free to the public as a community service of WVU Medicine University Healthcare. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, call 304-264-1287, ext. 31814 or email ddejarnett@wvumedicine.org.
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Working on your core is a great way to minimize chances of personal injury as well! Especially if you work in an active environment (think construction, mining, etc). Good posture and ergonomics training for employees can also help companies reduce workers’ comp claims.