Why Core Rehab??

I am surprised at how often people do not taking fixing their “tummy” as a priority.  When you really think about it, it is actually shocking how much we think this is simply vanity or not important.  Perhaps it is because we feel some pressure to have a flat, “photo shopped”, blemish free, media pushed stomach.  We rebel against the pressure, not ignoring that it is there but recognizing in the rational portion of our brain that that body is not ours, it might not even be real and if it is real it may not be what our body was meant to look like.  So we rebel, we stand up and say “Forget it! I am not buying in to one more scheme that says I will look like something that I will likely not.”  I absolutely get that.  It was the main reason that I myself was so skeptical about seeking answers to what might be wrong with my own tummy.  Everything, I looked into was so geared to how you will look and how to look better and how to look skinnier and how to look like you never even had a baby.  That marketing works, I know.  But it is impossible to not feel sucked into the gimmicks and sucked into the vanity of it all.  So we rebel and possibly miss something vital.

To be honest, this is how The Tummy Team began.  Even though, I knew it was more than just losing the tummy, we were really primarily promoting how to lose your tummy post babies.  That was before I really completely healed my core.  That was before I fully understood all that was involved and all that was at stake when dealing with weak and inactive deep core muscles.  I did not fully get it, because you really do not know how bad things are until they are better.  You really do not understand how weak you are and how much you ignore pain and how much you modify your life until you start really rebuilding your core at the most basic level.  

“You know what you know, until you know better, and then you do better.”  

So even though nothing we did caused any damage in the first year and a half of our business, we did not fully address all the details involved in completely healing the core.  Many people were helped even from our very first classes and sessions, but looking back, I see now how that was a mere nugget of what we now know is essential for healing.

Okay, that being said, let’s look at the abdominal wall and the core like we would any other body part.  For example, imagine severally spraining your ankle, so much so that you can hardly walk, that it is painful to move and that when you do walk you have to limp in a way that makes your knee, hip and eventually you’re back hurt.  What would you do?  Would you just power through?  Would you think “oh that is vanity to fix that ankle.”? Would you start jumping on a trampoline?  Would you strap on some roller blades and go for a 5 mile romp?  Not likely.  And if you did do any of these things, you absolutely would not expect the ankle to get better.  Instead, you would likely seek medical help.  You would brace it or if it is severe you would cast it.  You would likely use crutches to keep your weight off of it.  Then you would slowly start moving your ankle; slowly start putting a little weight on it at a time.  Slowly start doing a few trials without the ankle support or without the crutches.  As the ankle heals you will start building up more strength, more mobility and more stability.  You would gradually strengthen and start using it functionally again.  But, it would take some time before you would safely run or jump on that ankle.  It is not like you would never run or jump again but you would need to build up some solid strength for that.  You might even use a brace or a wrap for a while when you start exercising or jogging again.  And if you over do it, jump ahead before that ankle is solid, you might reinjure it, you might have a set back, you might have to slow down again and do a bit more rehab before you move forward.  This all makes sense, right?  It sucks.  No one wants to be injured.   No one wants to take the time to heal something properly but we can all agree that this seems like a reasonable course of action to fully heal a vital part of our body so we can eventually return to the activities we love to do.  However, even once it is all healed, we will always be aware of that ankle.  We would never intentionally place the injured ligaments and tendons of that ankle in the weakest positions over and over again without knowing we are risking re-injury in some capacity.  Once you take the time to feel better, to function better, you will be sure you take care of that ankle.

Some of you see where I am going with this.  Your deep internal core is just as important if not more important than your ankle.  If your deep internal core is weak, inactive, unstable, disconnected or you have a separated abdominal wall (diastasis recti)- you need to rehabilitate and rebuild that muscle.  As with any injury, you will likely need to modify your activities, splint and support the injury and be care how you proceed with exercise and other activities.  Depending on how severe your symptoms or injury, this process may take a little time (likely more time than you thought). 

Your core holds your entire body together.  Your core connects and stabilizes your rib cage to your pelvis, supports your organs and stabilizes your spine.  It is important. A strong core helps your arms and legs move properly.  A strong core maintains your posture and dictates your ability to run and jump and simply to stand and lift and sit without collapsing.

It is not vanity to want to have a strong core!

Diastasis recti is an injury to your abdominal wall.  It is usually the result of a weak internal core and an over- active external core combined with chronic compensations that cause the connective tissue in the center of your abdominals to pull apart.  This is not something you live with.  This is not something you power through and hope will go away.  This is an injury to a vital part of your body that needs Core Rehabiliation! 

Diastasis Recti is much more common than most people realize.  However, it is also extremely common to have a weak deep core and no diastasis.  

YOU DO NOT NEED TO HAVE A DIASTASIS TO NEED CORE REHABILITATION. 

If we were to ask you how you felt about your deep internal core, more often that not people say “very weak and completely disconnected”.  It is extremely difficult to engage and use a muscle you cannot feel.  If your deep internal core muscles are stretched out and resemble more of a deflated balloon around your waist than a solid meaty corset then you need Core Rehabilitation. 

Do not treat your tummy like it is vanity to try to fix it.  A weak core results in a multitude of serious health issues and leads to chronic medical care for these side effects.  A weak core often reveals itself in low back pain, sciatica, pelvic floor issues, pelvic instability, upper back pain, intestinal issues, prostate issues, constipation, abdominal pain, rib pain and rib instability, hip pain, knee pain, foot pain and can make you more susceptible to abdominal hernias.  

At The Tummy Team, we address the cause of these symptoms not just the symptoms.  We work individually with clients of all ages and stages of life to help them rebuild their core and regain the all day strength at our office in Camas, WA.  If you cannot come see us personally, we have developed a very comprehensive online Core Foundations 8-week Program.  This program gives you access to weekly video instruction, downloadable exercises and stretches, weekly encouragement and problem solving and access to a private FB forum to get support from other Tummy Team clients.  We also offer private Skype sessions to help you meet your personal needs 1:1 with me, the founder Kelly Dean.  

Call our office number 360-952-2673 (PST) for more information. And check out our online programs as well. 

You do not have to ignore this issue.  We have helped hundreds of clients and have hundreds of clients currently in our online programs.  Let us help you systematically restore your core and reclaim your true self.