When people talk about "core stability", they are generally referring to abdominal strength. While not entirely wrong, it isn't really correct. Your "core" is really made up of abdominal muscles, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, lumbar extensors and a few other muscles that attach to your spine and pelvic area. They work together to help you move better and be stronger. A lack of core strength can lead to a number of different problems with your hips, knees, shoulders and back. How do you test your core strength? We have dug up an "oldie but goodie" for you to try at home. The Kraus-Weber test was invented in the 50's as a basic core test for kids. Dr Kraus was wayyyy ahead of his time in this area and the tests are still very valid today...and not just for kids!  Click here for the test and give it a try. You will need a helper so do it with a friend or family member. If you have a hard time with it, come see us and get the right exercises to help you pass this test!

Having an ankle sprain isn't much fun. In most cases a short stint on crutches, avoiding activities and some ice and rest and you are better in a few weeks. The problem is that once you sprain your ankle, you are actually more susceptible to spraining it again. The ligaments that support the ankle get stretched out a little bit and then your ankle also loses proprioception, which is very important in balance. A decrease in joint proprioception means that in order to prevent rolling your ankle, your joint needs more motion before it kicks in its defense systems...and that leads to more sprains. The good news is that there are a few simple exercises you can try at home that will help build up ankle strength and joint proprioception, both of which will help reduce the chances of spraining your ankle. Folks from our Braintree and Weymouth team have put together a few videos with things you can try. Click here for the videos and to learn more about ankle sprains, click here.