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February 26, 2021Twisting and rotation: How to twist your way to better stability (and how your “love handles” can help)
Twisting and rotation (and counter-rotation) are some of the best ways to improve your body’s stability.
Many times, we do movements and exercises that don’t involve twisting and rotation – probably because we don’t quite know how to incorporate it or execute the movements properly.
But those aren’t good reasons to skip these movements. The ability to twist and rotate is paramount to steer the body straight as you walk and run. And your obliques, otherwise known as your “love handles” help with this.
How does this all work?
When you run forward, and your foot makes contact with the ground. That energy twists through the body and tries to rotate your leg and torso inward. You need counter-rotation on the other side of the body so you can actually keep going straight. If you aren’t able to twist or rotate adequately, the body will get thrown to the outside, which increases the forces placed on the body by two to three times the normal amount.
An instability of this magnitude can cause instability injuries, especially with regard to running.
Being able to control rotation through the spine helps to sequence the core muscles and allow them to work in tandem with the rest of your body. This will also help to increase the stability in your spine, which is great for your discs and joints.
So how do you add rotation to your workout regime? There are lots of ways. Here are some exercises to get you started.
A few things to consider: Warm up with some mobility drills for the thoracic spine, aka your middle back BEFORE you do the above exercises. This will give you more range of motion in the thoracic spine from which to strengthen your body and allow access to.
For exercises in standing, try to initiate the rotation with your hips, shoulders, and your rib cage, not your arms. In exercises lying down or seated, the movement will come from the shoulders and rib cage and won’t be as forceful or dynamic.
Posture is key with rotation! Always keep your back and pelvis in a neutral position. Any deviation from a neutral spine or pelvis can devalue the exercise and can lead to injury over time.
Check out our YouTube channel for more rotation exercises!
Beacon Physical Therapy
At Beacon Physical Therapy, we can help you learn how to properly do rotational exercises and assess if you have any mobility issues. If you have questions, make an appointment today. We’d love to meet you and get you back to doing what you love.
