The Core

Thanks to all who responded. I have checked out all those resources. None specifically use the term “core.” It is as I suspected a new term in the lexicon of training, therapy, and medicine. Despite its popular use no one has done a real good of defining it from a scientific standpoint. It probably is not a big issue, but I am concerned when words begin to appear in peer reviewed journals that have no accurate definition. Essentially right now it a concept without specific definition. In an article entitled Muscular Balance, Core Stability, and Injury Prevention for Middle and Long Distance Runner by Michael Fredericson, MD and Tammara Moore, PT in Physical Medicine Rehabilitation Clinics North America volume 16 pp. 669-689, they begin the article with the following sentences: “ Martial artists long have recognized the importance of a well developed core musculature. One of the main differences between a novice practioner and a black belt is the black belt’s development and use of his core (called “center” or “Ki”) to produce balanced, powerful, and explosive movements.” Later in the article they go on to describe the core as follows: “In essence, the core can be viewed as a box with the abdominals in the front, paraspinals and gluteals in the back, the diaphragm as the roof, and the pelvic floor and hip girdle musculature as the bottom. Within this box are 29 pairs of muscles that help to stabilize the spine, pelvis, and kinetic chain during functional movements.” This is actually a good start to a more accurate definition, it is very close to what Gajda and Dominguez published in 1983, they also included the thoracic and cervical spine.