Core Strength: Why It's So Important for Children

Core strength is the foundation to typical movement patterns and achievement of

age-appropriate gross motor milestones.  The progression of motor skills from simple tasks to more complex relies heavily on core strength. 

But what does core strength mean?  Core muscles refer to not only your superficial abdominal muscles but also the muscles found in the back, shoulders, obliques, and deep core muscles including pelvic floor muscles. Core strength acts as a stable base to improve balance, body awareness, and coordination.  This will in turn allow for a child to achieve more complex motor skills such as stair climbing, skipping, jumping, and navigating obstacles.

Having weak core muscles can present in your child in a variety of different ways.  In infancy, tasks such as tolerating tummy time, rolling, crawling on hands and knees, sitting up unsupported, pulling to stand, and independently cruising and walking, all would be challenging for those with weak core muscles.  It’s important to address this weakness to avoid any delays in motor development and to prevent any atypical movement patterns such as toe walking from developing. 

As your child gets older with a weak core, you may notice they struggle to keep their bodies stable and upright during balance challenges, such as going up and down stairs, jumping, or even sitting unsupported in a chair during mealtimes.  You may even notice this core weakness trickle down into your child’s find motor tasks, like picking up and manipulating small objects, writing letters and numbers with control and accuracy, or even cutting on a line with scissors.  Another presentation of weak core muscle is “W” sitting.  Kids sit in this position to achieve a wider base of support to provide better stability for the trunk when core muscles aren’t able to.

The best way children build strength is by participating in unstructured, spontaneous play as well as classes that introduce opportunities for strengthening the muscles and promotes gross motor development like Tumble Bees.  The more diverse and varied the movements are, the better they can gain the strength needed for everyday tasks.  Activities such as: riding bikes, climbing up ladders and stairs, running, swimming, skating, riding scooters, and jumping, all work to build up core strength.  These days, kids are more likely to spend time playing video games and watching TV rather than getting out and participating in the above-mentioned activities.  In order to prevent developmental delays as a result of weak core muscles, kids need to regular exposure to play and exploration!