The core is having a moment! From pilates to the gym, everyone is experiencing some core awareness. But what does it really mean? And how does it influence back pain?

The core used to be called the torso and includes everything except the head and the limbs. Everything. Its the seat of the Self. The central station of our being and both a container of and a passageway for energy to move and transfer. It contains our physical body (organs, bones, tissues) and layers of our emotional and energetic bodies.

Structure

The core contains roughly 30 muscles that co-contract to support us. When the core is functioning well, the whole body is in an optimal position. The core muscles work together to hold us upright, stabilizing and protecting us from injury, holding and transferring energy, and bringing mental clarity through connection to our deeper Self.

Soul

Imagine a hose with water flowing through it. The hose is the most effective without kinks in the line. Every time there is a kink in the line, the water flow slows or stops. This is the same with the core. The core is like the hose and our energy (deep knowledge, clarity) is like water; everything flows well when it is free from kinks.

The Core and Back Pain

Our modern lifestyle can create kinks in the core much like a kinked hose. Sitting tilts the pelvis and rounds the shoulders, while phones and tech are tough on the neck. In this state, we are no longer aligned and functioning as the body was designed to. This causes a ripple effect of problems, such as :

• energy drops,
• organ function decreases (including breath capacity and digestion),
• the spine compresses and we are set up for back pain, and
• our overall potential for injury in multiple areas increases

The Remedy
A functional core needs to be stacked and integrated; this means we need good posture. Our ability to be our best self correlates with our ability to keep our core unkinked.

This means:

1. Stacked posture
2. Neutral (untilted) pelvis
3. Strong and integrated core

Book a call to set yourself up with successful strategies.

with love and wellness,

Leslie