Sunday, June 24, 2012

Don't Ignore the Core

For those who don't know, I'm at home recovering from open bilateral inguinal hernia surgery.  Basically, I got cut open on both sides of my abdomen (below the waste band), my guts where put back where they belong, some mesh was sewn in to help reinforce my newly stitched up muscle wall, and then I was glued shut with crazy glue.  I'm sure I got some of that wrong, but the point is, my ab area is in a ton of pain right now and super sensitive.

Of course, there's a silver lining to this pain cloud.  I'm learning just how much our abs and core are called into work in every day life.  Walking, turning while walking, carrying a light object, opening a door or drawer, plugging things in, getting into bed, getting out of bed (so painful!), getting into and out of a chair.  Going to the bathroom.  Showering.  The list goes on nearly endlessly.  When you have a very sharp pain in an area, you get much more aware of how you use that area.

I always knew the core was important to keep strong, but it's even clearer to me now. Balance and applying force seem to be the key things that call your core into action - even at times when you wouldn't think you need it (like using your arm to plug something in).  So, this is a somewhat short blog post, but the point should be clear - focusing some attention on your core is really crucial.  You depend so heavily on this area every day - more than you realize.  Keeping it strong will make life easier but also help protect so many other parts of your body by keeping you in balance and aligned.

So, it sounds cheesy and it rhymes, but don't ignore your core.

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