Fitness balls come in all sizes and shapes, and made their way into many homes a few years ago. For those of you that have them lying around in your basement, dig out the stability ball and use it to help strengthen your core. To do this, have your feet flat on the floor with your knees at a right angle and hip width apart. Keep your back straight, arms crossed and engage your core muscles. Lean back until you feel your abdominal muscles tighten and then hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat 10-15 times or until you feel you can no longer hold good form while performing the exercise.

If you have any questions about the exercise described above, or if you would like more information about how to tone up your core, contact us at www.thewinchesterinstitute.com or 614-760-5555.

A 2011 study published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that there is an increased risk for young athletes when over-scheduling of athletic events does not allow for proper rest and recovery between practices and events. The study recommends considering the intensity of workouts and competitions in a 48 hour period, as well as recovery time and sleep before over-scheduling your child’s activities. Over-use injuries increased when children were not given adequate healing time between sporting activities.

If you or your child have had an over-use injury, contact The Winchester Institute at 614-760-5555 or www.thewinchesterinstitute.com to have one of our doctor’s examine the injury and provide quality recommendations for care.