Stir the pot for your core

So you want less low back pain?  Stir the pot!  Nope I am not talking about cooking some crazy food that will heal you.  I am talking about an exercise on a therapy ball.  Over the years in practice I have spent so much time on core exercises with patients and for myself.  Over the past year or so I have limited the exercises I give to just one, stir the pot.  This exercise, if done correctly will strengthen your core and everything around it. It is so much better than sit ups, crunches or plank on the floor.

I suggest making sure you can do plank on your knees on the floor for a few seconds.  Then plank on your toes for a few seconds.  Then move to plank on your knees on the therapy ball and just hold it there.  When comfortable start stirring the ball around a little clockwise and counterclockwise.  Then a little back and forth.  Not too big on the movements.  Then after you are comfortable doing them on the knees, move to the toes.

I have included a video of the exercise.  Although, when watching the video, two minor corrections I might add include: (1) look at the wall in front of you rather than down at the ball, and (2) do not touch your hands together.

Do them for a few seconds and gradually work your way up to doing them longer and longer each day. This is an exercise better done multiple times a day.  You can do it for a workout by it self, but so much of what we do everyday (like sitting and typing this) weakens our core.  To combat that, doing this stir the pot a few times a day will strengthen the core.

As with any exercise, if you experience pain, stop.  Consult a doctor or just drop in here at Advanced Chiropractic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EuMtm2MzRA