The Movement Specialist

YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!! Ignore the poster's sweeping generalisation at the start, the findings are still relevant.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXRaSx3gbnW/?img_index=3&igsh=ZzZjMzF4YnZzNjhl

A new randomised trial just added to a body of evidence that’s been building for twenty years. 152 people. Chronic low back pain. Same Pilates programme. One group braced. One didn’t. The group who didn’t brace did better. This isn’t new. The research questioning “brace your core” has been fairly clear for decades. Peter O’Sullivan’s work alone should have retired this cue years ago. The science moved on. The cueing didn’t. Swipe to see what the evidence says - and what to do instead.

Listen👂you can do all the 'right things' where your health is concerned, but your body might still occaisionally throw a hissy fit.

E.g.

It is common for a frozen shoulder to turn up AFTER an illness or period of stress when things are supposedly getting better.

It is common to get a bad cold once you're either on, or after you have been super relaxed on holiday.

And me? Well I have such raging sciatica pain that I don't know what to do with myself today!

Why? Who knows 🤷‍♀️ It doesn't always need a clinical reason, it just is.

I wish it wasn't though 😣

Yours in OUCH

MC

On a quiet morning, springs softly sigh,
The waits nearby.
A carriage glides with a whispered squeak—
But I’m not alone in the balance I seek.

A golden paw taps the moving frame,
As if to say, “Let’s play your game.”
Downward stretch meets a wagging tail,
While focus and fur begin to mingle and trail.

A terrier weaves through the straps with flair,
A yoga mat thief with a confident stare.
She tunnels beneath as I lengthen my spine,
Turning precision to chaos—yet somehow divine.

“Core engaged,” I murmur, trying to breathe,
But a lick on my cheek interrupts mid-sequence three.
A fluffy one barks at the springs’ soft chime,
As if keeping rhythm—or counting my time.

Feet in straps, I circle with grace,
While a Lhasa studies my concentrated face.
She mirrors my stillness, then suddenly sneezes—
Enlightenment lost to doggy nose wheezes.

Yet in this odd, delightful quartet,
No perfect form, no rigid set—
Just laughter woven with every rep,
And joy in each unpredictable step.

For strength isn’t only the muscles we train,
But the moments of madness that soften the strain.
And somewhere between the stretch and the spin,
We find that the real workout lives within—

Among wagging tails and curious eyes,
Where discipline dances and seriousness dies.

For decades, manual and physical therapies have focused on a postural-structural-biomechanical model — the idea that pain (especially low back pain) is mainly caused by things like poor posture, spinal misalignment, pelvic tilt, leg length differences, or weak “core stability”. (You know my thoughts on the latter).

Eyal Lederman - Osteopath and Researcher - argues that modern research does not support many of these assumptions.

And here is why:

• Posture is not strongly linked to pain. People with “poor” posture often have no pain, while many people with “ideal” posture do.

• Structural abnormalities are common in people without pain. Imaging often shows disc bulges, degeneration, or asymmetries in people who feel perfectly fine.

• The body is adaptable and resilient. Small biomechanical variations are normal and rarely the primary cause of pain.

• Pain is multifactorial. Psychological, social, lifestyle, and nervous system factors often play a bigger role than structural issues.

• Treatment should shift focus. Instead of trying to “correct” posture or alignment, clinicians should emphasise movement, activity, education, and self-management.

His paper suggests it may be time to move beyond the idea that pain equals structural fault, and instead adopt a biopsychosocial approach to understanding and treating musculoskeletal pain.

Core stability is a myth AND attempting to create such a mechanism might cause more harm than good. 🧐
And yes I know I've said it before, countless times...

THE MYTH OF “CORE STABILITY” For years we've been told: “Strengthen your core to protect your back.” But what does the research actually say? Many training and rehab programs assume: • Weak abs cause back pain • The transversus abdominis (TrA) is the key stabiliser • Strengthening the core prevents injury • A strong core protects the spine But these assumptions do not hold up scientifically. Studies show: • Many trunk muscles contribute to stability • They work together depending on the task • There is no single “core” muscle group acting independently. Your body organises movement globally — not muscle-by-muscle. Surprisingly, during everyday activities like walking or standing, trunk muscles work at very low activation levels (around 2–5% of maximum). That means massive “core strength” may not actually be necessary for spinal stability. Research comparing core stability exercises vs general exercise shows: 👉 Both produce similar improvements in chronic low back pain. Meaning the benefit likely comes from exercise itself, not special core activation techniques. Constantly “bracing your core” can: • Increase spinal compression • Reduce movement efficiency • Interfere with natural motor control strategies Your body often chooses the most efficient stabilisation automatically. Instead of obsessing over core activation: ✔ Move regularly ✔ Strengthen the whole body ✔ Train movements relevant to your activities ✔ Choose exercises you enjoy Movement matters more, than isolating one muscle or area. #movementismedicine #exerciseismedicine #corestability #corestrength #pilates #yoga #fitness

Caught some culture yesterday and 👌