Why being told you have a “weak” core is stupid and unhelpful.
If I had a dollar for every-time a woman has been told by a healthcare provider that she has a weak core…well I think you know, I’d be a rich woman.
This archaic, patriarchal language lives within every corner of our healthcare, wellness and fitness spaces and it is THE. WORST.
I’m happy to set the record straight on these matters: your core is not weak and I’ll tell you why in a moment.
Before I do though, let’s address a very important assumption made in this messaging, that a “weak” core means something.
Currently, we do not have a great way to reliably correlate core strength with anything meaningful.
You can have an elite level soccer player, with an objectively “strong” core (compared to others) who has lower back pain, and she would be told by 90% of her healthcare providers that she has a weak core or that she needs MORE strength. You can also have a recreational walker, with a measurably less strong core (than the soccer player), who is completely pain-free and without issue and who would be told by her fitness professional that she has a weak core and needs to get a stronger core in order to “protect” herself from absolutely nothing.
When someone (anyone) tells you that you have a weak core, it’s a shortcut way of saying “I don’t know why you feel the way you do right now, but this is what I tell everyone else.”
“when a provider tells you that your core is weak and that it is the cause to all of your problems, it’s a bunch of bullshit. ”
— Dr. Ellie Somers
It also manages to play on the patriarchal notion that your body, as a woman, isn’t good enough. And for many women (maybe even you), it likely plays on their fear that this is the truth. That their body isn’t good enough, strong enough, stable enough.
Luckily, I’m here to say that the problem isn’t you, your worth or your core, it’s the provider.
So let me put it this way, when a provider tells you that your core is weak and that it is the cause to all of your problems, it’s a bunch of bullshit.
You have a strong core if:
You can sit in your chair
You can walk around
You can stand and brush your teeth
You’ve had a baby
You have back pain
You have a larger body size
You have a body.
If you want to have a stronger core, that’s cool. There’s no problem with that. If having a stronger core helps you to feel good in your body, excellent! If you decide a strong core is a great way to help your pain, totally fine!
Just know, that at baseline, you are starting from being more than enough exactly as you are and that your core strength is not indicative of your value as a human being or womxn.
Pretty neat.
Cheers,
Dr. Ellie
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Need some physical therapy from a provider who won’t make you feel bad about yourself? Head on over to schedule a virtual or in-person physical therapy evaluation visit with Dr. Ellie below.
Dr. Ellie is Sisu’s Creator, Owner, Ferocious Leader, Director of the Vision, Physical Therapist and High Performance Coach. Dr. Ellie hopes to create a world where women and girls have access to the resources they need to recover from injury and get back to performance. Dr. Ellie was the Director of Sports Medicine and Team Physical Therapist for the NWSL Team OL Reign and has also been the Team Physical tTherapist for the Women’s United States Australian Rules Football Team. She works as a consultant for many professional and recreational athletes in their injury and recovery journeys back to performance.
Dr. Ellie is Sisu’s Creator, Owner, Ferocious Leader, Director of the Vision, Physical Therapist and High Performance Coach. Dr. Ellie hopes to create a world where women and girls have access to the resources they need to recover from injury and get back to performance. Dr. Ellie was the Director of Sports Medicine and Team Physical Therapist for the NWSL Team OL Reign and has also been the Team Physical tTherapist for the Women’s United States Australian Rules Football Team. She works as a consultant for many professional and recreational athletes in their injury and recovery journeys back to performance.
