What is the Transverse Abdominis?
 The abdominals are important for a healthy low back, but the deep abdominals are the most important.
Most every low back pain patient should learn how to fire the transverse abdominis (TA) before any movement.
The transverse
abdominis (TA) is an deep abdominal muscle on the lower part of the
stomach. The deepest
layer of abdominal muscles is called the
"transversus abdominis." (TA) The
transverse abdominal muscle wraps around the torso from front to back and from
the ribs to the pelvis.(1) The muscle
fibers of the transversus abdominis run
horizontally, similar to a corset or a weight belt. This muscle helps facilitate forceful expiration of air from the
lungs,
stabilizes the spine and helps compress the internal organs. Many
chronic low back pain patients have a lot of difficulty firing the TA. I have
had a world
class athlete with low back pain get fatigued while trying to fire
his TA.
All low back
pain patients and even our speed training athletes need to learn to fire the TA
before any activity. Contraction of the TA can reduce the
vertical pressure on
the intervertebral discs by as much as 40%. (2) Research has shown a decrease in low back pain when strengthening
the deep abdominals and trunk stabilization. (3) Low back pain
has been shown to delay recruitment of the TA. When the TA
fires, it causes the multifidi (small muscles of the back that give stability)
to fire to give stability. If the TA is not firing properly, then the spine is
not stable when you perform movements with your arms and legs and injuries can
occur. (4)
When the spine and pelvis all are stable, the nervous system sends
signals to the brain, effectively telling it tat it's safe to recruit the
extremity muscles.
The result of a dysfunctional transverse abdominis is poor
movement quality and instability leading to early degeneration of bold bones and
joints. If the TA
does
not fire properly, an unstable spine can result which can lead to
degeneration of discs and joints. Any person wanting to function,
look, and feel better
must maintain
function of this important muscle. In many cases, because of surgeries (cutting
the abdominal wall, C-sections, hysterectomies, hernias, and
other operations), the TA does not fire properly. Future articles will discuss how to fire the TA and low level lumbar stabilization.
Related Articles
Low Back Pain: Introduction
REFERENCES
- Principles of Anatomy and Physiology Eleventh
Edition by Tortora and Derrickson
- Hodges P.W., Richardson
C.A.,
Contraction of the Abdominal Muscles Associated With Movement of the Lower
Limb. Physical Therapy. Vol. 77 No. 2 February, 1997.
- Teyhen
DS, Miltenberger CE, Deiters HM, et al.. The use of ultrasound imaging of the
abdominal drawing-in maneuver in subjects with low back pain. J Orthop
Sports Phys Ther. 2005
Jun;35(6):346-55.
- Aruin S.A., Latash M.L. Directional
specificity of postural muscles in feed-forward postural reactions during fast
voluntary arm movements. Exp Brain Res (1995) 103:323-332.
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The content is provided "as is" for general information and to educate
the reader. The article is not intended to serve as medical advice,
diagnosis or treatment. The content should not be considered complete
and should not be relied on to suggest a course of treatment for a
particular individual suffering from a particular problem, issue or
medical need. The reader should always consult with a qualified health
care provider familiar with the reader's general health, background and
conditions and follow the advice given by the health care provider.
Always consult with your physician or other qualified health care
provider before starting a new diet, treatment or fitness program. Do
not delay seeking specific advice or care or disregard the advice of
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article.
Last Update: April 2010 |
