Protect your back by training your core

The body's core muscles - also known as the core - protect the spine and help prevent back injuries. For example, it's activated when you trip or accidentally step into a hole - or when you lunge forward to catch something that's about to roll off the edge of a table. Here, our physiotherapists give you tips for back-friendly core training.

You might not realize it, but you use your core every day in everything you do. It's what stabilizes your body and helps you achieve good posture. That's why it's important to train your core - and luckily, it's easy and something you can do at home on your living room floor without a lot of equipment. In fact, 5-10 minutes a day is enough.

Your core consists of the abdominal and back muscles between the diaphragm (bottom of the chest) and the pelvic floor.

Exercise 1:

• Lie on your back with both legs bent and knees to your chest. Arms down at your sides
• Your lower back should be on the floor. If it's not, put a pillow under your head - it helps
• Lower one foot to the floor, but only as far as you can without lifting your lower back. Slowly bring your knee back towards your chest
• Repeat the exercise by alternately lowering your feet to the floor

Remember to breathe during the exercise as it activates your core muscles

Exercise 2: Plank (with movement)

The plank is not just a CrossFit fad. It's also a great exercise for core training - if you do it right! It's important that you don't slouch your back and shoulders so that your body forms a hammock, or stick your butt out so that you form an inverted V. That is, a straight line from shoulder to heel.

• Get on your knees and hands
• Stretch one leg backwards and then the other so that you are standing on your toes. Keep your shoulders away from your ears
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds (remember, no "hammock" and no V) and then calmly return to your starting position. You should feel it in your stomach

Remember to breathe during the exercise as it activates your core muscles.

You can make this exercise more difficult by doing push-ups or alternately lifting one leg 10-20 cm off the floor - all while maintaining the original position and straight line.

Published on December 6, 2022