From Headaches to Hip Pain: Could It All Come From Your Core?
Discover how subtle core instability can lead to pain and tension throughout your body—and why fixing the foundation is the key to real relief.
🏠 The Core Is Your Foundation
Picture this: you’ve just bought a house.
You notice the doors don’t close quite right. The windows are drafty. Nothing seems aligned. So you fix the doors and windows—over and over—but the problems keep coming back.
Then one day, you check the basement and find a major crack in the foundation. That’s the moment it clicks: the real problem was never the doors and windows—it was the base everything depended on.
Your body works the same way.
If your core—your internal foundation—is weak or unstable, your body compensates in ways that throw everything out of alignment. The result? Chronic pain, recurring injuries, and nagging imbalances that don’t go away with stretching or massage.
Test Your Core Stability
Click here to try the 10-second core Stability test.
One of my Fave tests for core stability is the Single Leg Balance test:
Place your hands on your hips
Stand on one foot
The test ends when you put your foot on the floor or take your hands off your hips. Try to get to 10 seconds!
If you felt wobbly, gripped your toes, or leaned to one side, you’re not alone. In fact, those reactions are your body’s way of saying, “Hey, something’s off.”
⚠️ Signs Your Foundation Might Be Off
When the deep muscles of your core aren’t doing their job, other muscles take over—and things go sideways, literally. Here are some common symptoms that might be connected to core instability:
Neck, Shoulders, Chest, and Upper Back
Stiffness or soreness after workouts
“Throwing out” your neck frequently
Headaches
Shoulder blade pain or overhead mobility issues
TMJ (jaw tension), headaches, or neck cracking
Thoracic and Abdominal Areas, Mid Back
Shallow breathing or poor endurance
Rib pain
Ribcage stuck in a flare
Weak core
Tension or pain along one side of the trunk
I went to multiple physical therapists. I tried massage therapy, acupuncture, foam rolling, chiropractic adjustments—you name it.
Nothing seemed to make a lasting difference until I understood that my core was unstable. Read more about how I healed my chronic back pain here.
Low Back, Pelvis, Groin
Core exercises hurting your lower back
Back pain from sneezing, standing, or putting on pants
Radiating pain into the glutes or groin
Pelvic floor dysfunction, tight hips, or “off” posture
Trouble standing or sitting for long periods
Hips, Knees, Feet
Weak “foot core”
Tight hamstrings or glutes that won’t fire
Flat feet or bunions
Knee pain, ankle instability, or frequent injuries
Hips that pinch or feel misaligned
These are your body’s clues. They help you understand what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be addressed at the root.
💪 Why Pilates Works
When the core is properly trained, your body starts to feel effortless. Movement becomes fluid. Muscles support your joints evenly, and tension is balanced instead of chaotic.
That’s what we do in Pilates.
We teach the body to move from a strong, stable center. We train the deep stabilizing muscles that support your spine, ribs, and pelvis—so your outer muscles can do their real jobs instead of constantly picking up slack.
💬 Ready to Fix the Foundation?
If you’ve been chasing symptoms and nothing’s working, it may be time to address the real root of the problem: your core.
I help clients build strength and stability from the inside out—so you can finally move with confidence and freedom again.
👉 Curious about working together? [Reach out here]—I’d love to help you reconnect with your body, relieve pain, and rebuild from the center.
