We hear all the time how important having a strong and stable core is, and it’s true! But what exactly makes up your “core”? 

The core muscles are generally defined as all of the proximal stabilization muscles in your abdomen. It can certainly be seen more broadly, but for our purposes today, think of the muscles surrounding your spine, both in front and in back. To name a few power players we are talking about the transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus, internal and external obliques, paraspinals (particularly the multifidus) and the quadratus lumborum. There truly are many more muscles that could be included in a comprehensive look at the core, but let’s focus on these for now. 

If these muscles stay weak, you may find that you have trouble with:

• Joint pains in arms and legs
• Poor balance
• Limited endurance
• Back pain
• Falls
• Poor posture
• Frequent injuries

When we look to diagnose any pain or injury in the extremities such as wrist pain, ankle pain, knee pain, etc, we always have to consider the joints that are closer to the center of the body that play supportive roles, and the strength of the core. Think of it like the Slinky Dog from Toy Story. It doesn’t matter how many bicep curls and hamstring curls that slinky did, because at the end of the day, his middle section was stretchy and completely unstable. Our bodies are the same; if we don’t have a stable base, every joint that is outside of our center will not be able to function properly and will be prone to injury. 

We see this frequently in rehab. When patients come in with an ankle injury, you never stop at just strengthening the ankle. If the hip above it remains weak and tight, the ankle will never reach it’s maximum potential. 

Core Exercises to Target Specific Muscles

So it is incredibly important to prioritize the core, and thankfully many studies have been done to find out which exercises are most helpful. Ditch the sit ups, and try something new! A 2020 study on the core found the following exercises led to the best activation of the following muscle groups: 

Transverse Abdominus

Beginner: Bird Dogs

Extra challenge: Try a bird dog with legs extending, but a weighted row in one arm

External Obliques

Beginner: Standing unilateral overhead dumbbell press

Extra challenge: Bulgarian (split) squat

Rectus Abdominus

Beginner: Plank

Extra Challenge: Back Squat

Multifidus

Beginner: Prone trunk or hip extension

Extra challenge: Plank on swiss ball plus hip extension

Courtney O’Neal, PT, DPT. Courtney graduated from Clemson University in 2010, and went on to get her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Augusta University in 2013. She has treated children and adults since 2013, and enjoys working with patients on improving health and wellness, helping them meet their goals, and returning to their highest level of function.

References

[1] Core Muscle Activity during Physical Fitness Exercises: A Systematic Review. José M. Oliva-Lozano1 and José M. Muyor1,2,*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7345922/