You may have often heard or seen on TV or in magazines things such as “You need to have strength in the transverse abdominal muscle (TVA) to stabilize your trunk!” and “back muscles are essential!”
However, simply strengthening the transverse abdominal and back muscles will not relieve back pain, as these muscles are rarely activated on their own in everyday life. A certain level of muscle strength is necessary, but in everyday life, if we consider the muscles to be at 100% of their maximum strength, less than 10% is sufficient to stabilize the torso.
To stabilize the trunk is not about strengthening the trunk muscles, but rather, it is important to be able to move the body well while keeping the trunk stable during posture, standing, sitting, and walking.
Pain is an indication that some tissues in the body are damaged. The role of a clinic specializing in back pain is to find out whether it is in the intervertebral discs, the spine, or the muscles.
ILC International Lumbago Clinic Tokyo
Written by Naoki Yoshida, Administrative Director
