The Deep Core Connection to Back Pain

Ever been told you should strengthen your core to help with your back pain?  While this is true….the whole truth goes much deeper than building up some six pack abs with classic crunches.

You will need to dive deeper within the body and re-establish connections to your your Deep and Intrinsic Core; an internal stabilizing system of support made up of 5 lesser known muscles that we will explore one by one in this Core Integration Blog.

Each post will introduce you to these little known muscles with anatomical over-view followed by yoga postures and exercises that target the Deep Core along with accompying videos.

First off lets get to know your core on a DEEPER level.

The muscles that make up the core of your body are layered; those closet to the skin are referred to as Superficial, and the muscles that are closer to the spine are called Deep.

Your most superficial core muscle (in more ways than one) is called the Rectus Abdominus, commonly referred to as the six pack, whose vertical fibers run from the pubic bone to the low ribs. It’s main action is spinal flexion (curling the spine in), so your typical crunches will certainly strengthen it, but those crunches will do little when it comes to easing low back pain and, in truth, repetitavly curling the spine in during crunches can increase low back pain.

Your “six pack” abs are apart of a group called Functional Muscles, these muscles are designed for big, strong, and short-lived actions, whereas the deeper muscles of the core are endurance muscles, designed to support us all day long. Poor posture and movement patterns tend to rely solely upon our functional muscles, causing our deep core musculature to weaken and even atrophy overtime. This can lead to a cycle of compensation patterns, strain, and pain throughout body.

On an energetic level, trauma and long periods of chronic pain can cause us to completely disconnect from our deep core, leading to instability that will in turn cause the nervous system to inhibit mobility in our joints as a protection mechanism.

Working with the deep core can be an illuminating pathway towards profound changes in both our physical and energetic body. This work requires us to slow down, listen, and connect to our inner strength and intuition.

From the outside deep core work may not look challenging at all, but I can assure you that when you truly connect with, and move from your center, you will begin to awaken an inner strength and steadiness you never knew you had.

In the image below your can see the muscles that make up Core Cylinder.

In the blog posts to follow we will dive deep into each one of these vital, yet often over-looked muscles.

• Transverse Abdominus

• Internal Obliques

• Multifidus

• Diaphragm

• Pelvic floor

These muscles come together to create a cylinder of support with the diaphragm capping the top, creating intra abdominal pressure, the Multifidi supporting the spine, the Transverse Abdominus wrapping its hortizontal fibers around the waist like a back support belt, and the Pelvic Floor Diaphragm sealing the bottom.