The Problem with “Just Strengthen Your Core”

If you have chronic pain, hypermobility, or instability — chances are someone has told you to “just strengthen your core.”

It’s common advice. But it’s not always helpful. In fact, when done without context, it can lead to more tension, more pain, and more frustration.

Why the core matters (but not how you think)

Your core isn’t just your abs. It includes your deep stabilizers, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and postural system. These muscles work automatically — like a reflex — to support movement.

When your nervous system is on high alert (from pain, fear, trauma, or dysregulation), your core can become rigid or inhibited. That makes “strengthening” difficult.

Hypermobility & the over-braced core

Many hypermobile patients already brace too much — gripping abs, clenching glutes, locking joints. This compensation often comes from instability and fear of collapse.

Instead of more planks, we need:

• Proprioceptive feedback

• Breath-based activation

• Soft strength that stabilizes without gripping

• Nervous system regulation first, core activation second

What we do at Connective Care Physical Therapy:

• Reconnect with deep stabilizers like the transverse abdominis

• Use breath to access the pelvic floor and diaphragm

• Restore movement confidence before loading

• Train reflexive strength through gentle, repeated cues

You don’t need to be tighter. You need to feel safer.
[Give us a call at (631) 448-3764 or email at diana@connectivecarept.com]