Core Stability and Respiration

Core stability is a crucial part of athletic performance and injury prevention during athletic activities. Importance of core muscles are well documented and known. However, less is known about how it may be affected by respiration. Abdominal muscles such as transverse abdominis and internal/external abdomini create the wall of the trunk, and the pelvic floor muscles create the bottom part of the core. The top part of it is the diaphragm. The diaphragm is also important in respiration. In fact, the abdominal muscles and diaphragm work in sync for respiration and core stability. In inhalation, the diaphragm contracts concentrically and the abdominal muscles contract eccentrically. In exhalation, they work in reverse. And the roles of these muscles get challenged with arm and leg movements and with respiration. It is known that a role of diaphragm in core stability decreases as it is challenged by increased demand for respiration. For example, during running, the diaphragm will work more for respiration and less for core stability than it does when at rest. What this may mean is that, during activities that increase respiration rate, the abdominal muscles may work non-optimally because they will have to help with respiration if the diaphragm cannot work optimally, leading to poor core stability. Performance of core muscles are also affected by other factors. Excessive lumbar extension will lengthen abdominal muscles putting them in non-optimal muscle length. Interestingly, the diaphragm also attaches to lumber spine from 1-3 level and excessive lumber spine extension may also affect performance of the diaphragm. Thus, it may be very important to take this into account when it comes to core stability.