Dr. Alex Jimenez, El Paso's Chiropractor
I hope you have enjoyed our blog posts on various health, nutritional and injury related topics. Please don't hesitate in calling us or myself if you have questions when the need to seek care arises. Call the office or myself. Office 915-850-0900 - Cell 915-540-8444 Great Regards. Dr. J

Strengthening The Core Muscles For Back Pain Relief

The core and the muscles involved are a group of muscles that wrap around the body’s torso. The front, back, and sides. Strengthening these muscles will improve and ultimately alleviate lower back pain. One of the main muscles that are overlooked is the transverse abdominis muscle. It is vital to a healthy core, especially if back pain is present. It’s known as the seatbelt muscle, as it is deep in the abdomen and wraps around the waist. It has everything to do with long-term core strength and function. A properly developed transverse abdominus functions like a lumbar support belt that protects the spine. When the transverse abdominus is strong, the muscle contracts to generate the correct amount of support and stability when in motion.

11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 128 Strengthening The Core Muscles For Back Pain Relief

For example, individuals that do not have low back pain engage the transverse abdominus around 30 milliseconds before moving the shoulder, while individuals that have low back pain have a delayed contraction of the transverse abdominus muscles that makes them take on awkward postures and move in an awkward fashion contributing to back pain and continuing to weaken the core muscles. Individuals that regularly do transverse abdominus strengthening exercises greatly reduce the risk of experiencing low back pain for the first time and reduce the recurrence of those already with back pain.

Core Muscle Anatomy

The first step to strengthening is understanding the moves and how to do them correctly with basic anatomy. Think of the core as a muscle box where the:

The core moves in three ways:

  • The body flexes and extends whenever bending forward and standing up
  • The body does a lateral side bend when bending the trunk to one side
  • The body rotates the trunk when twisting the torso

Muscle Weakness

The transverse abdominus tends to suffer from neglect which is one reason it becomes weakened. This increases the risk of developing back pain. Another reason that individuals have weak muscles is they exercise in one plane of movement. Not working out the core muscles in all planes of motion can contribute to back pain. For example, if an individual performs pelvic tilts, they only move in one plane when tilting the hips forward and back, known as flexion and extension. To achieve optimal/functional strength, the core workout needs to include side bending and twisting movements.

Strengthening The Transverse Abdominus

Pigeon Pose

Many individuals sit for extended amounts of time and are excessively tight along the sides and hips. The first step should be to increase the hip’s mobility before strengthening the core. If the hip muscle’s fibers become shortened, it can affect hip joint function and efficiency during core movement. The Pigeon Pose is a hip opener. How to do it:

  • Get on the floor with your knees and palms on the ground.
  • Slide the left leg back, so the hip is extended, then externally rotate the right hip/turn the right leg out from the hip. Focus on positioning the right shin perpendicular to the body.
  • Extend the trunk so the body is upright, lifting the chest, arching the back, and looking toward the ceiling while resting the fingertips on the floor a little forward of the hips.
  • Hold the pose for 30 seconds and switch sides.
  • This stretches the hip flexor muscles in the extended leg and the rotator and outer hip muscles in the flexed leg.
11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 128 Strengthening The Core Muscles For Back Pain Relief

Pay Attention To The Engaged Muscles

Individuals can train the transverse muscles to activate faster and more effectively throughout the day by slowing down and paying attention to moving with more intent. Place the hands around the waist and engage the core to feel the muscles contracting. This will help get a feel for the movement. Once comfortable, remember to engage these abdominal muscles before and while reaching, twisting, or lifting items.

Pelvic Tilt

This exercise is vital for building the smaller muscles that support a healthy core. How to do it:

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.
  • Engage the transverse muscles and gently tilt the pelvis upward.
  • Return the pelvis to a neutral position.
  • Repeat.
  • Start with 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

When this is no longer challenging and can be completed without increasing back pain, advance to more challenging exercises like the bird dog, planks, or plank variations.

11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 128 Strengthening The Core Muscles For Back Pain Relief

Standing Exercises

Translating core strength into functional strength and pain-free movement progresses to standing exercises that require rotation. One example is a standing lunge with rotation. How to do it:

  • Get into a lunge stance with the front leg flexed 90 degrees at the hip, knee, and ankle. The rear leg should be extended at the hip with the knee touching or almost touching the floor.
  • Twist from the waist. When comfortable doing this movement, hold weight like a dumbbell, medicine ball, or gallon jug of water in both hands, and gradually increase the weight as the muscles get stronger.

When in the process of strengthening the core, consistency is the key. Commit to a short daily workout instead of one massive one once or twice weekly. Ten minutes a day is enough to build strength, improve function, and decrease back pain.

Improved Body Composition


Functional fitness and the ability to move about comfortably benefit physical wellness and improve body composition. The aging process reduces the metabolic rate, which leads to increased body fat. Lean Body Mass gets lost from age and inactivity. Lean Body Mass contributes to the overall Basal Metabolic Rate, also known as the body’s metabolism. It is the number of calories the body needs to support essential functions. Engaging in strength training or resistance exercises will help regain muscle loss from aging/inactivity and can increase lean body mass.

References

People who regularly engaged in TVA-strengthening exercises were less likely to experience a recurrence of low back painAustralian Journal of Physiotherapy (2002); specific spinal exercise substantially reduces the risk of low back pain recurrence www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000495141460283X?via%3Dihub

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Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "Strengthening The Core Muscles For Back Pain Relief" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, acupuncture, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

We are here to help you and your family.

Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*

Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
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Our Purpose & Passions: I am a Doctor of Chiropractic specializing in progressive, cutting-edge therapies and functional rehabilitation procedures focused on clinical physiology, total health, practical strength training, and complete conditioning. We focus on restoring normal body functions after neck, back, spinal and soft tissue injuries.

We use Specialized Chiropractic Protocols, Wellness Programs, Functional & Integrative Nutrition, Agility & Mobility Fitness Training, and Rehabilitation Systems for all ages.

As an extension to effective rehabilitation, we too offer our patients, disabled veterans, athletes, young and elder a diverse portfolio of strength equipment, high-performance exercises, and advanced agility treatment options. We have teamed up with the cities premier doctors, therapists, and trainers to provide high-level competitive athletes the possibilities to push themselves to their highest abilities within our facilities.

We’ve been blessed to use our methods with thousands of El Pasoans over the last three decades allowing us to restore our patients’ health and fitness while implementing researched non-surgical methods and functional wellness programs.

Our programs are natural and use the body’s ability to achieve specific measured goals, rather than introducing harmful chemicals, controversial hormone replacement, unwanted surgeries, or addictive drugs. We want you to live a functional life that is fulfilled with more energy, a positive attitude, better sleep, and less pain. Our goal is to ultimately empower our patients to maintain the healthiest way of living.

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East Side: Main Clinic*
11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste 128
Phone: 915-412-6677

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6440 Gateway East, Ste B
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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CIFM, IFMCP, ATN, CCST
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Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

phone: 915-850-0900

Licensed in Texas & New Mexico *

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CIFM, IFMCP, ATN, CCST
My Digital Business Card

Post Disclaimer

Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "Maximize Your Fitness Journey with a Comprehensive Assessment" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, acupuncture, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

We are here to help you and your family.

Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*

Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
My Digital Business Card