10 minutes of lying down exercise can improve balance - study

Important: this is not about replacing full physical activity. The study found that gentle lying down exercises can help you better coordinate your body and legs.

Details

Researchers developed a set of exercises that are performed lying completely on the back. It includes light abdominal muscle tension, small movements of the pelvis and hips, sliding the heels on the floor, stretching the legs and moving the toes of the feet.

The idea of the programme is not to train the abs or legs separately, but to work them together. It is the coordination of the body and lower body that is important for stability, posture and movement.

The researchers conducted two experiments. The first involved 17 men: each of them underwent both an exercise programme and a control condition. The second involved 22 men and women: their performance was compared before and after two weeks of exercise.

The participants exercised once a day for 10 minutes for a fortnight.

Afterwards, their static balance scores improved: people swayed less when standing still, especially in a stooped position. Lateral dexterity also improved, with participants performing the side-to-side stepping test more quickly.

However, the researchers found no significant increase in muscle strength or explosive power. This means that the effect is probably not related to muscle strengthening per se, but to improved coordination and nervous system function.

Why it matters

Balance doesn't just depend on leg strength. To stand and move steadily, the body needs to co-ordinate the position of the head, body, pelvis and legs. If this coordination is compromised, the risks of falls, back pain and joint problems can increase.

New work shows that even simple, low-intensity exercises can be useful for practising this coordination.

However, the findings should be read with caution. The study was small and short-term. The participants were healthy people, not elderly patients or people after injuries. Therefore, it cannot yet be claimed that such a complex prevents falls or is suitable for everyone without exception.

If a person has pain, dizziness, joint or heart problems or is recovering from an injury, any exercise is best coordinated with a doctor or physiotherapist.

Background

Usually exercise programmes separate body exercises and leg exercises. But in real life, the body works as a single system: to stand, walk, turn or quickly change direction, the body and legs must work in concert.

The authors of the study decided to see if this connection could be improved with safe exercises in the supine position. This format may be convenient for people who find it difficult to start immediately with active standing exercise.

In the long term, such programmes could be used as a soft start to improve balance and mobility. But for practical recommendations, larger studies are needed, especially with older people and people at risk of falls.

Source

The study by Aya Atomi and co-authors is published in the journal PLOS One in 2026: A supine exercise programme linking trunk stability with lower extremity coordination is associated with improved body balance and agility: A study using randomised crossover and pre-post trial designs. The authors studied how a 10-minute daily supine exercise programme affects balance, flexibility, agility and body and leg coordination.