{"id":642114,"date":"2026-05-01T06:05:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T06:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/642114\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T06:05:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T06:05:14","slug":"brief-daily-lying-down-exercise-linked-to-better-balance-and-agility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/642114\/","title":{"rendered":"Brief daily lying-down exercise linked to better balance and agility"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AShare on Pinterest<\/a>A Japanese study suggests a daily short, simple, supine exercise routine may help improve stability. Image credit: Milky Way\/Getty ImagesA study suggests that a 10-minute daily exercise program that a person performs lying down could significantly help to improve balance, agility, and trunk flexibility.The researchers suggest the improvements may be driven by changes in neuromuscular coordination, or how the brain and muscles work together, rather than increases in muscle strength or power.While the study involved healthy young adults, with the exercises being low intensity and performed in a stable, lying position, it may offer a safe and practical option for fall prevention and early stage rehabilitation.<\/p>\n

Maintaining balance<\/a> in humans is more complex than it may seem and requires proper alignment, whether standing still or moving.<\/p>\n

The body coordinates a lot of information<\/a> to support balance, allowing people<\/a> to move more easily and put less strain on joints and muscles. However, with poor balance, even simple tasks can feel hard and the risk of falling or experiencing joint disorders increases.<\/p>\n

The body\u2019s center of gravity sits relatively high<\/a>, and much of its mass is concentrated in the head and trunk. To stay upright and move efficiently, these heavier segments must be carefully aligned and supported by coordinated movements of the legs.<\/p>\n

This relationship requires that the trunk and lower limbs work together seamlessly. When this coordination is disrupted, it can contribute to low back pain<\/a>, inefficient movement, and reduced stability.<\/p>\n

While many exercise programs target either core strength or leg strength separately, fewer strategies focus on integrating the two systems.<\/p>\n

Now, a study published in PLOS One<\/a> suggests that just 10 minutes of brief, low intensity exercise performed lying down, or in a supine position, that promotes coordination of these two systems could lead to measurable improvements in balance and agility.<\/p>\n

To address this gap, a team led by researchers at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology developed a short exercise routine performed entirely in a supine position.<\/p>\n

Performing these exercises lying down provides a wider base of support and reduces the effects of gravity, making it biomechanically stable and potentially safer for those in rehabilitation or with balancing difficulties.<\/p>\n

The program mainly focuses on muscle control to build coordination between the core and limbs, facilitating easier, safer movement when standing.<\/p>\n

The exercises include an abdominal press, to activate core muscles by pressing and tightening, a small bridge, to connect the abs, lower back, and hips so they work together, a leg slide and press, to train the legs to move smoothly and stay controlled, and playing \u2018rock-paper-scissors\u2019 with the toes to improve control and strength.<\/p>\n

Study author Yoriko Atomi<\/a>, PhD, Professor Emeritus at The University of Tokyo and Specially Appointed Professor at the Center for Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, helped develop the exercise program to relieve her own joint pain.<\/p>\n

In a background document prepared by Atomi, she emphasizes that maintaining good balance is key to staying independent and avoiding injury.<\/p>\n

She suggests that practicing exercises can help maintain or improve balance, and reduce the risk of falls and joint pain, even as the body ages.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like to share that by performing this supine exercise every day of the year as soon as I wake up, I have been able to manage issues such as knee and lower back pain,\u201d Atomi disclosed in the background document.<\/p>\n

The study involved healthy young adults completing a daily 10-minute session for 2 weeks, and used both randomized crossover and pre\u2013post trial designs.<\/p>\n

In the randomized crossover trial, 17 healthy young males completed both an exercise phase and a control phase. The researchers assessed physical fitness, including flexibility, agility, and strength, as well as static balance.<\/p>\n

The pre-post study involved 22 males and females performing the program for 2 weeks. Researchers analyzed dynamic balance using motion sensors placed on the body during a side-step agility task.<\/p>\n

The results across both experiments were consistent and showed improvements in balance, agility, and flexibility.<\/p>\n

Participants showed reduced body sway during standing tasks, especially in more challenging positions with a narrow base of support. Additionally, performance in a side-step test, a measure of quick lateral movement, increased significantly and they improved in sitting trunk flexion, indicating a greater range of motion.<\/p>\n

The researchers also found no change in strength or power, as measures such as grip strength, jumping distance, and sprint speed remained unchanged. <\/p>\n

Speaking to Medical News Today, Atomi discussed who could benefit the most from this exercise program.<\/p>\n

\u201cBased on our healthy young study, we should also be cautious about directly generalizing these findings beyond the different backgrounds we studied,\u201d she told us.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, because the exercises are low-load and involve relatively low physical risk, this type of program may also have potential for individuals with reduced physical function, including older adults, sedentary individuals, or those in rehabilitation settings. These groups will need to be studied directly in future research.\u201d
\u2013 Yoriko Atomi, PhD<\/p>\n

Atomi highlights that the supine position frees the core from its primary function of supporting the body while standing. This makes it easier to study and train how the core and legs work together, because the body is under less strain. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe chose the supine position because lying down reduces the postural demands placed on antigravity muscles, such as those in the back and lower limbs. This creates a simpler mechanical environment where participants may be better able to focus on coordinating the core muscles of the trunk with lower limb movement,\u201d Atomi told MNT.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe advantage is that this approach is low-load, relatively safe, and accessible, while still targeting important movement-control strategies that may transfer to standing posture and dynamic tasks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe advantage is that this approach is low-load, relatively safe, and accessible, while still targeting important movement-control strategies that may transfer to standing posture and dynamic tasks.\u201d
\u2013 Yoriko Atomi, PhD<\/p>\n

The researchers add that the benefits of the exercise program are unlikely due to muscle growth, and instead suggest neuromuscular adaptations<\/a>, or how well the nervous system coordinates the body and distributes weight efficiently.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn simple terms, neuromuscular adaptation means that the body becomes better at using the muscles it already has, rather than simply building bigger muscles,\u201d Atomi explained to MNT.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver a short period of time, the nervous system can improve how different body segments \u2014 such as the trunk and lower limbs \u2014 work together, making movement more efficient and coordinated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this study, we believe participants may have improved how they controlled their relatively heavy trunk and coordinated it with lower limb movement, which may have helped improve balance, flexibility, and agility even without major gains in strength or muscle size,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

The supine position may not only allow the body to focus more on coordination and control, but may also lower physical strain, reduce injury risk, and also make the exercises more accessible to a wider range of people.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, motion analysis also showed that after the program, participants stabilized their head and upper body more effectively during movement, suggesting improved central control of balance.<\/p>\n

Although the study involved healthy young adults, the findings suggest broader possibilities.<\/p>\n

A short, safe, and simple routine like this could be useful for fall prevention programs, early stage rehabilitation, or individuals with limited mobility or balance issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause the program is low-load, relatively safe, and designed to improve postural control and movement coordination, it may be particularly relevant for fall prevention or rehabilitation,\u201d Atomi said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur current findings are an early step, and future research will focus on testing its effectiveness in older adults and clinical rehabilitation populations to understand better how it can be applied in those settings,\u201d she suggested.<\/p>\n

While the findings are preliminary, they suggest that a brief daily exercise routine performed lying down may offer a practical and low risk way to improve balance, flexibility, and movement coordination, without the need for intense training.<\/p>\n

The exercise program may also offer an accessible option that people can implement into their daily routine at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cBased on practical experience, people may gain at least some benefit from written instructions or illustrated guides alone. However, exercises involving trunk control and coordinated lower limb movement may vary in difficulty depending on the individual,\u201d Atomi told MNT.<\/p>\n

\u201cIdeally, the best approach would be initial in-person instruction, along with periodic follow-up to ensure correct technique. If face-to-face supervision is difficult, video-based instruction or online guidance may also be valuable ways to improve understanding and support consistent practice,\u201d she advised.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Share on PinterestA Japanese study suggests a daily short, simple, supine exercise routine may help improve stability. Image…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":642115,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[64,63,538,137],"class_list":["post-642114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-fitness","tag-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=642114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642114\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/642115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=642114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=642114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=642114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}