core muscle imbalance

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I'm not sure if the ideas above are good for muscle imbalances.

About half way through chiropractic adjustments, I did a week of P90X ab ripper (3 days total). During this week, my chiropractor said my back was reverting back out of shape. I told him what I was doing, he said to stop using the dvd. I stopped, and soon after, my back was able to stay in better shape for a longer time.

So in that case, I don't think any random core exercise program will be good, unless it's specifically works on muscle imbalances. I did find a little bit after googling "core imbalance exercises", but wanted to know if anybody had good ideas on the forum.

Edited by kevmk81 2010-02-02 3:51 PM

Do a search for Dr. Robert Watkins and his trunk stabilization program.  It's intended for physical therapy when recuperating from back surgery or as conservative treatment to avoid surgery, but even if that's not the case it'll still do a good job of strengthening the core, regardless of imbalances.  Another option is to find someone that can do a Functional Movement Screen (FMS) assessment on you.  It's designed to locate the muscle imbalances/weaknesses/tightness that you do have, and then you can begin to work to work on those weak links.

This is exactly the info I'm looking for! So in theory, I could call up a local physical therapy facility, and ask if they perform FMS assessments?

In theory, yes.  But the FMS is a proprietary system, so a facility would have to have someone who's gone through the training to say that they do an FMS assessment.  You can also try the FMS website and look for a provider - I saw 2 listed in Peoria.

http://www.functionalmovement.com/SITE/functionalmovementscreen/locatefmstrainer.php 

Can your chiropractor advise you? Rather than scrap the p90x ab ripper, show him the exercises...maybe it's just one or two. The thing I noticed about ab ripper X is that there are no extension exercises in that workout, they are all flexion exercises. Perhaps that's one reason he noticed changes in your back (because you were not working your back, you were working your front). Perhaps the core synergystics DVD...there is much more balance in that workout, more exercises working your core in functional ways, not just abs. (it is called ab ripper afterall....not core ripper).

What exactly is going on with your back? Do you have a ruptured disc? It doesn't sound like you have a core imbalance - it sounds like you just have a weak back, plain and simple. Start doing Romanian deadlifts. Start light and add weight in a progressive fashion. Some chiros believe in weight training, some find it "dangerous." Personally, I ignore all chiros, but if you insist on going to one then find one that can work to strengthen the muscles of the back and not just make endless adjustments.

Thank you.

That's what I'm afraid is going to happen. I really think it's a possible muscle weakness in my body. Ironically, I was doing romanian deadlifts about a year or 2 ago, and I never felt better & stronger at that time. I still might try to find a facility that does FMS assessments.

If you can't find anyone who does them in Peoria, my Chiro/Active Release Therapist just started doing them.  They're in Davenport, so a bit of a drive, but if you end really want it.

I have an appointment today. I hope it goes well and I finally get to the root of my back problems.

I'm tired of going to the chiro office, and the doc saying "well, your hips are back to where they were last week". Well no sh*t.... there MUST be some reason that's happening besides easy runs of 2-4 miles!!!??? Surely running that small of an amount 3 times a week isn't going to hurt my back. It's getting depressing not being able to go run some speedwork or tempo stuff because I'm scared I'll screw my spine up. I'm positive my swimming isn't hurting it either (again, taking it easy). I'm starting to think he might be one of the quacks, or bad chiros. Every time I go it's the same cookie cutter adjustments. I'll carry out the visits I paid for, then go to a different one, probably the one that does FMS.

Sorry, this turned into a rant. I guess when a person is active, they need to be a little more precise on their healthcare, instead of just any random dude in the yellow pages. This is a bad year for me to start a high deductible health plan

Good luck!  On the bright side, a high deductible means you're gonna be a lot pickier about who you choose, and more likely to get a good doctor/chiro.  

maybe i missed this somewhere, but are you having issues with anything? or just him telling you that your hips/back are in a bad place?

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I started using kettlebells about a year ago, and my back and core have never been better.  They build functional strength and flexibility, and seems to take care of imbalances along the way.

Prior to that I'd done weightlifting and P90x+.  Both of which built strength, but kettelbells just seem to build more usable strength.  Like all things, start light and simple, and it builds on itself.

But I would definitely not engage in anything without medical advice if your back is really bothering you.  There's too many things that can go wrong if you're working out with some serious issue.


Edited by wbayek 2010-02-03 1:53 PM

So it turns out that I have about a right 70 - left 30 strength & flexability in my legs & pelvis. Then he gave me a few things to work on to get it corrected. It's going to be interesting. He also mentioned that I can continue to go to the chiropractor, and it makes sense that each time I go get adjusted, the next time the adjustments don't stay, because my running engraves the "bad posture" back into my pelvis & lower back. Hmm....

So what did he say about running then? And what kinds of things did he give you to work on? Why 'interesting'? Are they interesting exercises, or just interesting b/c you wan to see how they will turn out?

He gave me 4 "pre exercise" stretching & flexability, most of it, from what I think, resembles some yoga postures. He told me to do them at a 3:1 ratio to even out the imbalance. I think it'll be interesting to see if they help or not. To see if I don't feel like cr*p when I run anymore, and to see if my chiro starts to see if my pelvis is not as "off" as much as it has been lateley. In fact, I think I'll keep my visit to the PT hush hush, until my chiro asks what I've been doing to hold the adjustments (if this stuff turns out to actually be helping).