The best core exercises for older adults - Harvard Health

Bridges. "Anyone can do a bridge. · Planks. "Planks create contractions of the core, arm, and shoulder muscles as you stay in a push-up position. RecentBlogArticles Poisonivy:Scratchin’likeahound? Appstoaccelerometers:Cantechnologyimprovementalhealthinolderadults? OpioidaddictionandoverdosesareincreasinglyharmingBlackcommunities NewHarvardtoolhelpsfact-checkcancerclaims Handpainfromarthritis?Thismayhelp Polio:Whatparentsneedtoknownow Ketaminefortreatment-resistantdepression:Whenandwhereisitsafe? Havelupus?Whattoknowaboutbirthcontrol Screeningathomeformemoryloss:Shouldyoutryit? Traveltummytroubles:Here’showtopreventorsoothethem / StayingHealthy Thebestcoreexercisesforolderadults April1,2021 Strengtheningyourcorewillrevupyourbalanceandstability. Afteralongwinterwithlotsofisolatingandmaybetoolittlephysicalactivity,itmightbetimetogiveyourcoremusclesmoreattention. Thesemuscles,locatedthroughoutmuchofyourtrunk,arethekeytosupportingyourlowerbackandhelpingyoustand,getoutofachair,bend,lift,andmaintainyourbalance.Soregularmaintenanceandtune-upsofthecoremusclesareimportant. "Yourcoremusclesprovidestabilityforthemovingpartsaboveandbelowthem—themid-back,orthoracic,spinethathelpsyoutwistandturn,andthehipsthatmoveyouup,down,back,orforward,"explainsMartyBoehm,aphysicaltherapistwithHarvard-affiliatedBrighamandWomen'sHospital. Whichmusclesmakeupthecore? Generallyspeaking,thecorestartsatthelowerribcageandextendstothebuttocks. Coremusclesintheabdomenincludethelongrectusabdominismusclesinthefront;theexternalandinternalobliquesonthesides;andawide,flatgirdleinfrontcalledthetransversusabdominis. Inyourback,agroupofmusclescalledtheerectorspinaehelpyoustanduptall.Theglutealmusclesinthebuttockshelpyouextendyourleg,pushofffromastartingpoint,walk,andclimbstairs. Andinthepelvisarea,theiliacusandthepsoasmusclesenableyoutoliftyourlegsandremainstablewhilestanding;andthequadratuslumborum,alongmuscleoneachside,helpsyoubendtothesideandback. Theworstcoreexercises Intheolddays,sit-upsandcruncheswerethego-tomovestokeepyourcoremusclesingoodshape.Butthoseexercisesarenotaseffectiveasweoncebelieved.Theystrengthenonlyafewmuscles,andtheyposerisksforolderadults. "They'redangerousbecauseyou'repullingonyourneck,"Boehmsays."Andtheydon'ttrainyourcore.Theytrainthehipflexormuscles.Ifthosemusclesgettoostrong,theypullonthelowerbackandcontributetobackpain." Thebestcoreexercises Amuchbetterapproachtostrengtheningyourcoreisworkingseveralcoremusclegroupsatthesametime,justthewayyouwouldnaturallyifyouwereliftingsomethingorclimbing.Forolderadults,Boehmrecommendsthreeexercisesinparticular: Bridges."Anyonecandoabridge.Youstartinarecumbentpositiononyourbackandthenliftandholdyourbuttocksofftheground,"Boehmsays."It'seffectivebecauseyoucreaterigidityfromtheribcagetothepelvisandallthewayfromthebellybuttonaroundtotheback.Thewholeregionbecomessolid,anditcreatesacontractionofallthemusclegroups,likeacorset." Planks."Plankscreatecontractionsofthecore,arm,andshouldermusclesasyoustayinapush-upposition.Thekeyisstayingasstiffasyoucan,likeawoodenplank,"Boehmsays. Oppositearmandlegraise.Thisexercisegetsyouonyourhandsandknees."Asyoustretchouttheoppositearmandleg,you'recontractingyourcoreandthemusclesintheotherarmandlegastheysupportyou,"Boehmpointsout."Movementsshouldbeslowandcontrolled;don'tthrowyourarmandlegoutasfastasyoucan." Bridge Lieonyourbackwithyourkneesbentandfeetflatonthefloor,hip-widthapart.Placeyourarmsatyoursides.Tightenyourbuttocks,thenliftyourhipsupofftheflooruntiltheyformastraightlinewithyourhipsandshoulders.Hold.Returntothestartingposition.Repeat10times. Oppositearmandlegraise Kneelonallfours,withyourheadandspineneutral.Extendyourleftlegoffthefloorbehindyouwhilereachingoutinfrontofyouwithyourrightarm.Keepingyourhipsandshoulderssquared,trytobringthatlegandarmparalleltothefloor.Hold,thenreturntothestartingposition.Repeattheexercisewithyourrightlegandleftarm.Repeattheexerciseonbothsides10times. Modifiedplank Startonyourhandsandknees.Tightenyourabdominalmusclesandloweryourupperbodyontoyourforearms,aligningyourshouldersdirectlyoveryourelbowsandkeepingyourfeetintheairbehindyou.Keepyourbackstraight,makingyourbodyasmuchlikea"plank"aspossible.Holdthepositionandreturntothestartingposition.Repeat10times. ExercisephotosbyThomasMacDonald Gettingstarted Ifyouhaven'tworkedyourcoreinalongtime,Boehmsuggestsstartingslowly,focusingonthequalityoftheexerciseandgraduallyincreasingthenumberoftimesyoucandoit. Unlikesomemusclegroupsthatshouldonlybeworkedouteveryotherday,coremusclescanbestrengtheneddaily."Thecoreshouldalwaysbeworking.Itdoesn'tneedalotofrecovery,"Boehmsays. Remembertodoawarm-upbeforestrengthening.Marchinplaceforafewminutesandmoveyourarmsaroundtogetthebloodflowing. Afterstrengthening,stretchyourmuscles,especiallythehipflexorsinthefrontofyourpelvisandthehamstringsinthebacksofthethighs. "Wewantthecoremusclestobeshortandtight,"Boehmsays,"Tightnesswillgiveitstability.Butwewantthemusclesthatsurroundittobeflexible." Formoreinformation,checkouttheHarvardSpecialHealthReportCoreExercises(/core). 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