subject: Back To Basics - Secrets To A Healthy Spine [print this page] Imagine the pelvis being your foundationImagine the pelvis being your foundation. It needs to be stable, otherwise other structures like the muscles of the back and spine will have to work extra hard. Unfortunately, this job was not designed for them.
Learning how to keep the spine neutral is the beginning of spine stabilization, and this is important when you perform stabilization exercises. Straight and neutral are two different things. Neutral means the natural curves of the spine is allowed to be present. Remember that it's essential that the spine is allowed to function. After maintaining neutral spine, proceed to the next progression which is strengthening the core. You must also control the pelvis if you want to control the spine, so you need to be taught proper stabilization of the pelvis and lower abdominal re-training. Keep in mind that the pelvis is where the spine is attached and is also the foundation of the body. As mentioned earlier, if the foundation is off then so is the rest of the other structures. If you don't want to lack spinal control, then you need to learn pelvic control.
The question is, how can your pelvis be controlled? Core strengthening exercises is an option, so engage your lower abdominal and muscles to properly function. How can this be done? Definitely not by crunches and sit ups. Abs are not strengthened through leg raises and crunches. Leg raises and crunches could however, make back issues worse because they cause increased pressures and stresses on the disks.
What you can do is begin with lower abdominal training because it' the core or foundation. When you train the lower abdominal wall, use proper abdominal firing so that less stress will be placed on vertebral disks and activate the movement system. With this, there's correct muscle activation and proper movement patterns as well as less stress to tissues.
Abdominal bracing or proper lower abdominal contraction are the things involved in core training. This means that firing of the abdominal wall while the hip flexors deactivate should be coordinated, and the upper body and legs should be relaxed. With this concept as well as spine stabilization with neutral spine, you'll learn to maintain, find and work within the coordinated spinal mechanics.
