How A Stronger Core Can Help With Balance Issues

Have you been feeling shaky and off balance lately? The culprit might be a weak core! Having a weak core might make you feel unbalanced, but the good news is that HealthQuest can help you strengthen your core and improve your balance as well.

Your core muscles play an important part in keeping you balanced whether you’re sitting, standing, or sprinting. The muscles in your core assist in anchoring your center of gravity, allowing you to maintain balance while your body moves through daily life as well as recreational activities.

What should I know about strengthening my core?

There are two types of core muscles: the deep core and the superficial core. The deep core muscles are attached to the spine and pelvis. These are the muscles that balance the spine and trunk and hold it in the correct place. The superficial core muscles work together with the deep core muscles when you need to rotate your body and perform large movements to complete many of your everyday physical activities.

It’s crucial to know where your core muscles are located before you can focus on strengthening them. Many folks mistakenly believe they are working their core muscles when they are actually working their upper abdominal muscles. (Crunches and sit-ups are classic examples!) These muscles are important for core strength, but they’re not the ones you’re looking for.

The muscles you really want to find are your functional core muscles (both deep and superficial), as well as the transversus abdominis muscles that make up the “pelvic corset”. These muscles are positioned throughout your pelvis, hips, and lower back. The functional core also includes the diaphragm as well as parts of your pelvic floor.

How are balance and core strength related?

Balance is a complex process. It involves your brain, eyes, inner ears, and joints. They all need to work together to determine where your body is in space, then direct your muscles and joints to adjust accordingly to keep you upright and on your feet. And all of this happens in a split second. But if any link in that chain is weak, it can drastically impair your ability to maintain your balance.

These core muscles serve as your body’s natural stabilizers, making constant adjustments in response to what the balance systems tell it. Keeping your trunk within your center of gravity is a BIG job, and when the core muscles are weak your body has difficulty maintaining your trunk position. And once the trunk position goes outside of the base of support your body systems have to work overtime to try to keep you from falling.

How can my balance benefit from physical therapy treatments?

Our physical therapists are highly skilled and dedicated to helping you improve your balance through a variety of methods. When you arrive for your first appointment, your physical therapist will conduct a comprehensive exam to assess your stance, gait, balance, and core muscles.

This will help determine the origin of the balance difficulties and will form the foundation of your treatment plan. These plans for balance improvement typically include:

• Strengthening. Both core and leg strength is important for balance and proper gait. Your therapist will work with you in the clinic on this as well as give you a home program to work on strength between your sessions.
• Gait Training. Sometimes we need to work on the actual nuts and bolts of HOW we walk. Your therapist may take you through various drills and exercises to improve the components of your gait, increase your awareness of proper walking and give you lots of ways to practice at home.
• Balance Training. Depending on the exact nature of your balance issues, your therapist will work on both static and dynamic balance. This may involve different surface types, obstacles and steps, and varied visual challenges. 

Regain your balance and strengthen your core with physical therapy

Are issues with your balance hindering your daily life? If so, don’t hesitate to contact us as soon as possible. We’ll provide you with the help you need to get back on your feet and feel better than ever. Schedule your free assessment today at hqpt.com.