Core & Trunk Control Surrey | Active Rehabilitation
Therapy Now Wellness Clinic · Newton, Surrey

Core & Trunk Control in Surrey

Core and trunk control refers to the ability to coordinate the muscles around your abdomen, back, pelvis and trunk while you move.

At Therapy Now Wellness Clinic in Newton, Surrey, core and trunk control exercises may be incorporated into kinesiology and active rehabilitation when reduced stability, weakness or movement control is affecting everyday activities, exercise or recovery from an injury.

The goal isn't simply to strengthen your abs. The goal is to improve how your trunk supports and coordinates movement.

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Understanding trunk stability

What is core & trunk control?

Your trunk provides a foundation for movement. When you walk, bend, lift, reach, squat, exercise or change direction, muscles throughout your trunk and pelvis work together to help control your body.

Maintain Position

Develop the ability to maintain comfortable and controlled positions while the rest of the body moves.

Control the Pelvis & Trunk

Improve awareness and control of the trunk and pelvis during movement.

Coordinate Movement

Improve coordination between your upper body, trunk, pelvis and lower body.

Manage Load

Gradually develop the ability to maintain control as exercises become more challenging.

Improve Balance

Trunk control can contribute to balance during standing, walking and more complex movements.

Return to Activity

Apply improved control to everyday activities, exercise, recreation or work.

An important distinction

Core stability vs. core strength.

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they do not describe exactly the same thing.

1

Core Strength

Core strength generally refers to the ability of the muscles surrounding your trunk to produce or tolerate force.

2

Core Stability

Core stability relates to controlling the trunk and pelvis while maintaining a position or performing movement.

3

Trunk Control

Trunk control involves coordinating your trunk with the rest of your body during movement.

Someone can have relatively strong abdominal muscles while still having difficulty controlling their trunk during certain movements.
More than abdominal muscles

What areas are involved in trunk control?

Abdominal Muscles

Muscles surrounding the abdomen contribute to supporting and controlling the trunk.

Back Muscles

The muscles of the back contribute to spinal positioning, movement and endurance.

Pelvis & Hips

The pelvis and hips provide an important connection between the trunk and lower body.

Breathing

Breathing mechanics and trunk pressure can interact with movement and stability.

Gluteal Muscles

The gluteal muscles contribute to pelvic control and force transfer between the trunk and legs.

Whole-Body Coordination

Effective movement often depends on several regions working together rather than one muscle working alone.

Functional movement

When might core & trunk control be helpful?

A practitioner may include trunk-control exercises when someone has difficulty controlling movement during everyday, recreational or work-related activities.

  • Bending
  • Lifting
  • Carrying
  • Prolonged sitting
  • Standing
  • Walking
  • Squatting
  • Reaching
  • Rotating
  • Exercise
  • Returning to sport
  • Returning to work activities
Lower back rehabilitation

Core & trunk control for lower back rehabilitation.

Core rehabilitation is commonly associated with lower back concerns. However, the goal should not automatically be to prescribe the same series of abdominal exercises to every person.

Instead, rehabilitation may look at how the person moves and what happens when the movement becomes more challenging.

Questions a movement assessment may consider

  • Does the person have difficulty controlling the pelvis during a squat?
  • Does the trunk shift during single-leg movement?
  • Does fatigue change movement quality?
  • Is limited mobility elsewhere influencing the movement?
  • Is weakness affecting control?
Registered Massage Therapy in Surrey → Learn about assessment and treatment provided by Therapy Now's Registered Massage Therapists.
Hip & pelvic stability

Your trunk, pelvis and hips work together.

During activities such as walking, climbing stairs, running and single-leg balance, the trunk and pelvis must coordinate with the lower body.

Trunk control → Hip strength → Pelvic control → Balance → Functional movement

Rehabilitation may therefore look beyond the area where symptoms are felt and consider the movement pattern as a whole.

Movement assessment

What can a core & trunk assessment look at?

Posture & Starting Position

How you organize your body before movement begins.

Trunk Control

How your trunk responds as your arms or legs move.

Hip & Pelvic Control

How the pelvis moves during functional tasks.

Balance

How you maintain control when your base of support changes.

Mobility

Whether restricted movement elsewhere may influence the task.

Strength

Whether weakness affects your ability to maintain control.

Endurance

Whether movement quality changes as you become tired.

Functional Movement

How these factors come together during activities relevant to you.

Exercise progression

Core & trunk control exercises.

There is no single best core exercise. Exercises should be selected based on what the person currently needs and progressed as their abilities change.

1

Awareness & Control

Learn comfortable trunk and pelvic positions and how to control them.

2

Breathing & Coordination

Coordinate breathing with controlled movement when appropriate.

3

Low-Load Movement

Maintain trunk control while gradually adding movement of the arms or legs.

4

Strength & Endurance

Increase the amount of work the trunk and surrounding muscles can tolerate.

5

Functional Movement

Apply control to movements such as squatting, reaching, carrying and stepping.

6

Return to Activity

Progress toward work, recreation, exercise or sport-specific demands when appropriate.

A common misconception

Core control is more than planks.

Planks can be useful for some people, but core rehabilitation does not simply mean doing more planks.

Lying

Early exercises may begin in supported positions.

Kneeling

Different positions can change the stability demands of an exercise.

Standing

Exercises can progress toward upright functional positions.

Functional Tasks

Reaching, carrying, balance and resistance exercises may be incorporated as appropriate.

The exercise should match the reason you're doing it.
Progressive rehabilitation

Rehabilitation should change as you improve.

A movement that initially requires significant concentration may eventually become easy. As your ability improves, rehabilitation can be progressed to provide an appropriate challenge.

Progression may involve changing:

  • Position
  • Resistance
  • Range of motion
  • Repetitions
  • Duration
  • Speed
  • Complexity
  • Functional demand
Motor vehicle accident rehabilitation

Core & trunk control after an accident.

Core and trunk exercises may be incorporated into active rehabilitation following a motor vehicle accident when appropriate for the individual's presentation and rehabilitation plan.

ICBC Injury Treatment & Rehabilitation → Learn about Therapy Now's broader ICBC treatment and rehabilitation options in Surrey. ICBC Core & Trunk Control → Looking specifically for core and trunk rehabilitation following a motor vehicle accident? Visit our dedicated ICBC page.
Core & trunk control at Therapy Now

Rehabilitation based on how you move.

Rehabilitation isn't about handing every person the same sheet of exercises. A program can be developed around your current abilities, movement and goals.

Your Current Movement

What are you currently able to do, and what movements are difficult?

Strength & Stability

Where may additional strength, endurance or movement control be useful?

Your Goals

What activities, exercise, work or recreation are you trying to return to?

More than one approach to care

A multidisciplinary clinic in Surrey.

Depending on your needs, Therapy Now offers several healthcare and rehabilitation services from our Newton clinic.

Kinesiology & Active Rehabilitation

Movement assessment, exercise and progressive rehabilitation.

Registered Massage Therapy

Assessment and hands-on treatment provided by Registered Massage Therapists.

Acupuncture

Individualized acupuncture care from our Newton clinic.

Clinical Counselling

Confidential counselling support from qualified clinical counsellors.

Why Therapy Now?

Active rehabilitation in Newton, Surrey.

Individualized Assessment

Rehabilitation begins by understanding your current movement, abilities and goals.

Progressive Exercise

Exercises can change as your strength, mobility and movement control improve.

Functional Approach

The goal is to connect exercises to movements that matter in everyday life.

Multidisciplinary Clinic

Patients have access to RMT, acupuncture, kinesiology, counselling and student massage services at Therapy Now.

Frequently asked questions

Core & trunk control FAQs.

What is core and trunk control?
Core and trunk control refers to the ability to coordinate the muscles surrounding the abdomen, back and pelvis to control the trunk during positions and movement.
Is core control the same as abdominal strength?
Not necessarily. Abdominal strength can contribute to core function, but trunk control can also involve coordination, balance, mobility, endurance and interaction with the hips and pelvis.
What exercises improve trunk control?
Appropriate exercises depend on the individual's abilities and goals. Rehabilitation may progress from basic positioning and low-load movements to resistance exercises and functional movements such as squatting, carrying or reaching.
Do I need to do planks to strengthen my core?
No. Planks are only one type of exercise. Core and trunk rehabilitation can include many different positions and movements depending on the person's needs.
Can core exercises be used in lower back rehabilitation?
Core and trunk exercises may be incorporated into a broader rehabilitation program for some people experiencing lower-back concerns. Appropriate exercises depend on the individual's presentation and assessment.
Where can I access core and trunk rehabilitation in Surrey?
Therapy Now Wellness Clinic provides kinesiology and active rehabilitation from its clinic at 240–13711 72 Avenue in Newton, Surrey, British Columbia.
Can core and trunk exercises be part of ICBC rehabilitation?
Core and trunk exercises may be incorporated into active rehabilitation following a motor vehicle accident when appropriate for the person's presentation and rehabilitation plan. Therapy Now also has dedicated information about ICBC rehabilitation.
Core & trunk control Surrey

Build strength for the movements that matter.

Core and trunk control isn't about having visible abdominal muscles. It's about developing the strength, stability, coordination and movement control needed for the activities that matter to you.

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Therapy Now Wellness Clinic

240–13711 72 Avenue
Surrey, BC V3W 2P2

Newton, Surrey

Phone: 604-401-0459

Serving patients from Newton, West Newton, Panorama Ridge, Fleetwood and surrounding Surrey communities.

Improve control. Build toward better movement.

Learn more about kinesiology and active rehabilitation at Therapy Now Wellness Clinic in Newton, Surrey.

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