7 basic core stretches for overall health

First things first: Core muscles are more than just your abs. They also include your obliques, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and lower, upper, and mid-back muscles. All of these muscles work together to stabilize your trunk, pelvis, and spine, enabling you to sit upright. You can think of your core muscles as the link between your upper and lower body. These important muscles help you stay balanced when you walk, climb stairs, or do yoga, for example. 

Stretching your core muscles can be beneficial for people who sit for prolonged periods of time, are stressed and hold tension in their core, or who have had abdominal surgery in past years and have persistent scar tissue, says Melia Lewis, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. Loosening tight muscles in your core can also help prevent abdominal strains. 

Read on to learn about how you can alleviate tension in your core and reduce discomfort with core stretches recommended by Hinge Health physical therapists.

Interested in getting a personalized exercise therapy plan? Learn more about Hinge Health’s digital physical therapy program and see if you’re eligible.

7 core stretches to improve mobility  

Performing a balance of dynamic and static stretches that target your core muscles can help prevent tightness, as well as improve your flexibility and range of motion in your core.

If you’re familiar with some common yoga poses, you’ll notice this stretch resembles sphinx pose and upward-facing dog. “This move stretches the anterior, or front side, of your abdomen,” says Dr. Lewis. The muscles that sit at the front of your core include the rectus abdominis, also known as your “six-pack” muscles, and help with core stability and movement. Seal stretch also targets your obliques, which wrap around the front and sides of your abdomen. The obliques enable you to twist your torso. Easing tension can help you do twisting activities with more ease and range of motion, and less strain. 

How to do it:

• Lie in a comfortable position on your stomach. It may help to do this on a yoga mat or another soft surface. 

• Place your hands on the floor, at the sides of your chest. 

• Push through your hands to straighten your arms and lift your shoulders and head toward the ceiling. (For a modified option, push through your forearms.)

• Hold this position for a few seconds, keeping your lower body and core relaxed as you do so. 

• Bend your arms to relax your chest back to the floor.

• PT tip: “If you experience any back discomfort with this exercise, I recommend bending your arms slightly to help reduce strain on your back,” Dr. Lewis says.

Get more information on how to do seal stretch.

This move stretches the muscles located in the front of your abdomen — ‌especially as you arch your back and lower your pelvis down in cow pose. This movement also recruits your pelvic floor muscles as you alternate between tucking and lifting your tailbone and pelvis. Moving between cat and cow positions gives your spine a nice gentle stretch, which can also help with tightness in your core muscles. 

How to do it: 

• Start on your hands and knees. You can do this on a yoga mat or another comfortable surface. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders and your knees in line with your hips. 

• Slowly round your entire back toward the ceiling while drawing your chin to your chest. 

• Return to the starting position. 

• Look up to the ceiling as you arch your back toward the floor. 

• Return to the starting position.

• PT tip: Let your breath guide you between cat and cow poses. Inhale and lower your belly and pelvis toward the floor in cow pose. This enables your abdominal muscles to expand and lengthen, Dr. Lewis says. Exhale as you tuck your chin toward your chest, round your back, and pull your belly in toward your spine for cat pose.

Get more information on how to do cat cow.

“This exercise stretches your lateral (side) and lower abdominal muscles,” Dr. Lewis says. The transverse abdominis is your deepest core muscle, wrapping around your lower abdomen and giving your spine and pelvis support. You stretch this muscle layer as you bring your knees back to the starting position, and with control, lower from side to side. “This is also a great exercise to improve mobility in your low back,” Dr. Lewis says. 

How to do it:

• On a yoga mat, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. 

• Keep your knees together as you allow your knees to rock to one side, reaching toward the floor. 

• Return your knees to the center before rocking your knees to the opposite side.

This dynamic stretch targets several parts of your core and neighboring muscles. “When you stretch the hip flexor muscles, your lower abdominal muscles are also stretched,” Dr. Lewis says. “When you add the overhead reach to the exercise, you also provide the upper abdominals with a nice stretch.” 

How to do it: 

• On a yoga mat, rest one knee on the floor and line it up directly below your hip.

• Bend your other leg in front of you with your foot flat on the floor and your hands at your hips.

• Move your hips forward. 

• At the same time, bring your arms overhead, reaching toward the ceiling to deepen the stretch.

• Lower your arms and move your hips and knee back to the starting position.

Get more information on how to do a kneeling hip flexor stretch.

Because this movement requires you to twist your torso, both your obliques and lower back muscles get a deep stretch. Dr. Lewis says the back rotation stretch helps to improve flexibility in these muscles, promoting mobility in your lower back and hips. This stretch helps prepare your body for activities that require you to twist, such as reaching into the back seat of a car or gardening. 

How to do it:

• Lie comfortably on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. 

• Use your hand to pull one knee across your body and toward the floor, twisting through your back. 

• Let your other arm reach out to your side, keeping your upper back on the floor as you straighten your other leg. Your head stays relaxed on the floor as you twist.

• Return to the starting position.

“This exercise is great for mid-back mobility. It targets any tension being held in the upper abdominals and oblique muscles,” Dr. Lewis says. You perform this exercise with only one hand on the ground, which recruits your deep core muscles to help you stay balanced as you rotate your elbow in toward your spine and then away.

How to do it:

• Begin on all fours. Then bring one hand to rest gently on the back of your head with your elbow out to the side.

• Press into your opposite hand to rotate your torso, lifting your bent elbow toward the ceiling. 

• Then rotate the other way, bringing your bent elbow toward your opposite arm. 

• A little shifting of the hips is normal, but see if you can focus the twist on the upper part of your spine.

Breathing normally stretches your core muscles, but when you add in certain techniques, it can offer your core muscles an even deeper stretch. “When you inhale, your diaphragm drops and your core, ribs, and back expand,” Dr. Lewis says. Diaphragmatic breathing allows your lungs to fully fill with air. This breathing exercise can help increase your core muscle stability and improve pelvic floor function.

How to do it: 

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. 

• Rest one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.  

• Slowly inhale as you fill your belly with air so the hand on your belly rises toward the ceiling. The hand on your chest remains mostly still. 

• Focus on staying relaxed as you hold that breath in your belly. 

• Slowly breathe out so the hand on your belly lowers with you. 

Get more information on how to do diaphragmatic breathing.

The information contained in these videos is intended to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment for any specific condition. Hinge Health is not your healthcare provider and is not responsible for any injury sustained or exacerbated by your use of or participation in these exercises. Please consult with your healthcare provider with any questions you may have about your medical condition or treatment.

Personalizing your core exercises 

Note: Some of these moves may feel challenging if you’re dealing with pain in your core, pelvic floor, or lower back. On the other hand, if you’re doing these moves proactively to prevent pain, some may feel subtle or too easy. Working with a Hinge Health physical therapist can help make sure your exercises are the right amount of challenge for you. 

Benefits of core stretches 

When managing weak or tight core muscles, it’s important to remember that movement is the key to getting stronger and more flexible. Tightness in your core can limit your range of motion when you’re bending and twisting, and increase your risk of injury and pain. Stretching your core muscles can help you move your back and hips better when you do chores and work out. Here’s how.

• Supports posture. “We sit a lot in our society, which can lead to shortened muscles in the lower abdominals and hips,” Dr. Lewis says. Your muscles can “shorten” when they become overly tight. This can happen when you don’t get up to move often. “Doing core stretches regularly can help support your posture by stretching muscles that support the spine, which can increase your mobility,” Dr. Lewis says. 

• Improves range of motion. “If there is any tension in the core muscles, it impacts how the diaphragm moves,” Dr. Lewis says. “Limited range of motion in the diaphragm can cause back pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, and hip pain.”

• Reduces pain. Stretching your core muscles and neighboring muscles can significantly reduce back pain. Remember, your lower back muscles are a part of your core muscles, so there’s a direct link. Some core stretches can also help ease tightness and reduce pain in your hips, Dr. Lewis says. 

• Decreases risk of injury. Stiffness can make our muscles vulnerable to injury. When you perform dynamic stretches, blood flow to your muscles increases, making them warm. Warm muscles are more flexible and can move more freely without rigidity holding them back. Making an abrupt movement, such as reaching up to grab something off a high shelf or twisting to throw a ball too quickly, with tight muscles can lead to strain. 

References 

1. Flynn, W., & Vickerton, P. (2020). Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Abdominal Wall. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551649/ 

2. Kett, A. R., Milani, T. L., & Sichting, F. (2021). Sitting for Too Long, Moving Too Little: Regular Muscle Contractions Can Reduce Muscle Stiffness During Prolonged Periods of Chair-Sitting. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 3(760533). doi: 10.3389/fspor.2021.760533

3. Gordon, R., & Bloxham, S. (2016). A Systematic Review of the Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity on Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain. Healthcare, 4(2), 22. doi: 10.3390/healthcare4020022

How Hinge Health can help you

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, you can get the relief you’ve been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program.

The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app when and where it works for you.

Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you.

See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.

This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.