As a Children’s Physio I see lots of children with abnormal walking patterns, poor posture, decreased stamina and difficultly keeping up with their peers. It is common practice to start treatment with these children by focusing on their leg strength or giving them insoles to correct their walking pattern, but what we need to do is get to the very core of the problem (pardon the pun)!!!

Core strength is so often over looked, especially in children. As healthcare professionals and as parents we are often more preoccupied with making sure that our children develop the right arm and leg muscles to walk, run and play that we can forget the importance of a strong core.

Your core is made up of your abdominal muscles and back muscles. A strong core is essential in maintaining posture, balance and coordination. All movements that a child does, from a toddler picking up a toy to a teenager playing football, require a good strong core! Do not confuse core strength with having a “6 pack”. Core strength refers to the equal development of the muscles in your stomach, pelvis, lower back and diaphragm. It is the ability of all these muscles to work together that enable us to stabilise our bodies during movement.

Strong cores are the building blocks for developing gross motor skills and fine motor skills, and if your child has a weak core it is difficult for them to maintain a stable base enabling coordination of the arms and legs.

Signs your child may have a weak core:

• Has difficulty remaining upright in their seat
• Leans on walls or other people
• Poor posture
• Has difficulty with carrying out both fine and gross motor activities
• Has difficulty with dressing and undressing
• Not reaching developmental milestones
• Unable to keep up with their friends
• Tired and achey at the end of the day

Effective and Simple ways you can strengthen your child’s core:

• Bouncing – on trampolines or hopper balls engages all the core muscles.
• The Wheelbarrow – hold your child in a wheelbarrow position and encourage them to walk their hands forwards. Ensure they keep a straight posture and do not allow them to dip their tummy in the middle.
• Twister/ musical statues – games where children have to hold static postures helps to engage all the core muscles.
• Soft play – the unstable surface at soft play centres will automatically engage their core muscles.
• Gym Ball – there are many simple exercises that the gym ball can be used for but simply just sitting on it and maintaining an upright posture is a good start.
• Swinging – At the park encourage them to swing themselves.

 

If you think your child has a weak core call The Children’s Physio to assess your child and develop and individual programme to target the appropriate muscle groups. Call today on 020 3322 5127 – no waiting lists, prompt appointments, specialised assessments.