Forward Omaha Physical Therapy
Does Bracing Your Core Really Help with Back Pain?
“I was always told to brace my core and to not bend at my back….”
I feel like my core is strong, but my back still hurts…”
We hear this OFTEN in the clinic, especially amongst people dealing with chronic back or hip pain. These are 2 clients that recently came in with similar stories and symptoms — chronic lower back/hip related pain.
They were told by multiple healthcare providers:
- “Don’t let your lower back bend.”
- “Tighten your core.”
Not only were there stories similar, so were their movement screens.
Notice with the “toe touch” screen, both of their lower backs are relatively straight as indicated by the red line in the photos.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with this movement strategy during a toe touch — ideally, we should see an even, rounded “ski slope” curve throughout their whole spine as they reach for their toes.
For both of these clients, a key piece of their treatment plan consisted of Jefferson Curls to promote uniform spine bending.
Check out the video to the right to see the Jefferson Curl.
This is something the lower back is designed for with normal everyday movements.
Both of these clients reported a significant decrease in symptoms and were able to work towards higher level movements that were previously painful.
TLDR: Small details can make a massive difference when it comes to pain and performance.
These things happen more often than they should when it comes to pain.
IT TAKES TIME to peel back the layers and really understand someone’s story and pain experience
At Forward, it is our mission to provide the time and attention that pain problems require.
We spend 60 minutes, 1-on-1 with our clients every session to make sure we are always progressing and hearing our clients.
No unnecessary medical interventions. No cookie cutter exercise sheets. No double booked appointments.
With a focus on listening and individualized care, we are looking to fill an unfortunate gap in the medical world.
At Forward, we focus more on root causes and ultimately – keeping people active, healthy, and heard.