Are you looking to add some power to your golf or tennis swing? Have you strained your lower back by doing a simple household chore like moving laundry from the washer to dryer? Perhaps your lower back has been hurting and you simply don’t know why.
Even the strongest athletes can lose sight of how important rotational exercises are for the body. No amount of weightlifting or pulling can make up for what rotational lifting and pulling can do to rebalance body strength.
Studies from the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons have shown that performing rotational exercises will improve core stability, muscle development, and total body coordination. Improving rotational strength also significantly decreases your chance of injury.
What is Rotational Strength?
Rotational movements start with lower (thoracic) spine and abdominal rotation. The abdominal muscles make up the middle of the body and are responsible for all movement. They stabilize the body and transfer power from the upper body to the lower body and vice versa. Rotational strength in the hips and trunk improves torso rotation, leading to efficient movements in everything from powerfully swinging a tennis racquet or golf club to gardening or lifting your grandchild.
Benefits of Rotation Strength Training:
- Improved hip mobility
- Better lower back health
- Increased athletic performance and flexibility
- Improved core strength
- Reduced risk of injury
- Improved strength in other daily activity movements
- Increase speed and acceleration
This type of training can help you avoid serious injuries by empowering your body to execute all movements with more strength and power.
What Types of Exercises You Can Do
As with any new exercise regimen, it is best to check with your physician and/or orthopedic specialist to see what types of exercises are right for you and at what frequency. Your abdominal core is responsible for all movement and without it, your body does not have a base of support or stability. Try incorporating these trans plane exercises from the National Association of Sports Medicine into your weekly exercise regimen.
About Greater Orlando Orthopedic Group
At Greater Orlando Orthopedic Group we strive to provide accessible, high quality and cost-effective orthopedic care where our patients are treated with respect and compassion. We provide the highest possible orthopedic and surgical care available for injuries and illnesses that impact the shoulders, knees, feet, ankles, hips, wrists, and hands.
Our physicians perform arthroscopic surgery, robotic hip and knee surgery, hand and wrist surgery as well as hip, knee and shoulder reconstruction and replacement surgery.
Sources:
https://www.issaonline.com/blog/post/rotational-movement-exercises-for-building-strength
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16148357/https://blog.nasm.org/exercise-programming/sagittal-frontal-traverse-planes-explained-with-exercises?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=organic&utm_content=ReasonsToBecomeCES#transverse-plane-exercises
