10 Isometric Exercises Recommended by Physical Therapists for Strength and Recovery

You’ve probably heard of aerobic exercises and strength exercises. But have you heard of isometric exercises? Isometric exercises are a type of strength training, but they tighten or contract a specific muscle or group of muscles. “You hold a muscle in one position for as little as a couple seconds or as long as a full minute,” explains Alec Martinez, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. “The goal is to maintain the contraction to make your muscle feel as if it’s working.”

Isometric exercises might seem simple on the surface — after all, you're not even moving. Since you hold a single position, your muscles don’t change their length the way they do in other forms of strength training, such as bicep curls, where your muscles contract then extend. But this is precisely what makes isometric exercises so versatile. They are perfect for exercise newbies, as well as anyone who’s recovering from an injury or is navigating a pain flare of any kind.  

Read on for more about the benefits of isometric exercises, and get the moves most recommended by our 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.

PT-Recommended Isometric Exercises

Isometric exercises are a testament to the power of simplicity. These exercises recommended by Hinge Health physical therapists require minimal equipment, so they’re a great option for anyone looking to enhance their strength training routine from the comfort of their home or office. 

“To get the most benefit out of isometric exercises, you need to hold the position until your muscle feels fatigued, but not for so long that you begin to lose control and your form slips,” says Dr. Martinez. Let your body be your guide.

If you’re looking for more personalized guidance on injury recovery or pain management, consider working with a physical therapist. You can see a physical therapist in person or use a program like Hinge Health to access a PT via telehealth/video visit.

“This is a great exercise for your abdominal muscles at the front of your core. Your abs are part of the postural muscles that hold you upright throughout your day,” explains Dr. Martinez.

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees with your arms straight and your hands placed in line with your shoulders.

• Straighten each leg out behind you, supporting your body on your hands and toes.  

• Keep your hips away from the floor, raised to about the same height as your shoulders. 

• Focus on keeping your back flat and not letting your hips dip toward the floor as you hold this position. 

• Try and keep your neck in a neutral position, keeping your gaze a few inches forward.

• Relax your knees to the mat to return to the starting position. 

Get more information on how to do a plank.

“This move strengthens your back extensors, which are the muscles that are attached to the back of your spine,” says Dr. Martinez. “Strengthening these muscles helps you maintain an upright position for long periods of time.”

How to do it:

• Lie face down with your arms and legs extended and your forehead resting on the ground.

• Slowly lift your arms, chest, and legs toward the ceiling as high as you comfortably can.

• Hold this position, gazing at the floor to keep your neck in a neutral position.

• Focus on squeezing your back and butt muscles.

• Relax your body back to the starting position.

Get more information on how to do the superman.

This is a great exercise for core strengthening. “It’s more advanced than a plank, but it’s a great way to contract your abdominals,” says Dr. Martinez.

How to do it:

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

• Lift your shoulders, arms, and legs off the floor, straightening your legs and reaching your arms overhead.

• Your lower back and butt should be the only parts of your body touching the floor.  

• Focus on keeping your abdominals tight as you hold this position. 

• Relax back to the starting position. 

Get more information on how to do a hollow hold.

“This is a great way to strengthen the postural muscles between your shoulder blades that keep you upright,” explains Dr. Martinez. While anyone can benefit from this exercise, it’s particularly useful for people who spend a lot of time in front of a computer.

How to do it:

• Stand with your elbows bent to 90 degrees and resting at your sides. 

• Move your elbows and shoulders backward while squeezing your shoulder blades together. 

• Relax your shoulders to the starting position. 

Get more information on how to do a scapular squeeze.

This is a more advanced version of the scapular squeeze exercise. It targets and strengthens your upper back and shoulder muscles, which can help improve posture and reduce the risk of shoulder injuries. Additionally, it helps enhance scapular (shoulder) mobility and stability. 

How to do it:

• From a standing position, hinge at your hips to bring your torso to about a 45-degree angle. Keep your back flat, and your weight mostly in your heels. 

• Lift your arms up and out to your sides to about shoulder height in a T shape with your palms down. 

• Pull your abdominals in to support your low back, and try to keep your shoulders away from your ears.

“Most of us spend a lot of time hunched over our phones, computers, and books, which is why strengthening the postural muscles of your neck is so important,” says Dr. Martinez. Strengthening these muscles helps to counteract the effects of looking down or forward at a device for long periods. 

How to do it:

• Stand in a comfortable position, then nod your head by bringing your chin toward your chest. 

• Glide or retract your chin back, focusing on relaxing your jaw muscles while you hold this position.

• Relax your neck muscles to move back to the starting position. 

Get more information on how to do a chin tuck.

This works the same postural muscles as the chin tuck, but in a more advanced variation of the exercise.

How to do it:

• Get into a comfortable position on your hands and knees while looking directly down at the floor. 

• Nod your head gently by bringing your chin toward your chest, then glide or retract your chin back. 

• Remember to keep looking down at the floor at the same spot. 

• Relax back to the starting position.

This exercise works on the external muscles of the rotator cuff, which is important for people who spend a lot of time doing repetitive activities like typing on a keyboard, says Dr. Martinez.

How to do it:

• Stand next to a wall with your elbow at your side and bent to 90 degrees. The back of your wrist and hand should be a few inches from the wall. 

• Hold a folded towel between the back of your hand and wrist and the wall, then push the back of your hand and wrist into the wall to pinch the towel. 

• Focus on pushing as hard as is comfortable while you hold this position. 

• Relax your hand and wrist back to the starting position. 

This exercise works on the internal muscles of the rotator cuff. This helps stabilize your shoulder joint, reduces the risk of injuries, and improves the overall function and strength of your shoulder. 

How to do it:

• Stand at the corner edge of a wall with your arms relaxed at your sides and bend your elbow to 90 degrees, so that your hand and wrist are a few inches from the wall. 

• Hold a folded towel between the front of your hand and wrist and the wall, then push your hand and wrist into the wall to pinch the towel. 

• Focus on pushing as hard as is comfortable while you hold this position. 

• Relax your hand and wrist back to the starting position.

This simple foot exercise helps to build endurance in the intrinsic muscles of the feet, says Dr. Martinez. These muscles originate and insert within the foot itself and support your arches. “It’s especially helpful for people who have to do a lot of standing since it strengthens the plantar fascia, which is what supports your feet for long periods of time,” Dr. Martinez notes.

How to do it:

• Sit with your feet flat on the floor and a towel between the front of your target foot and the floor. The towel should lay flat on the floor, extending away from the front of your foot. 

• Use your toes to scrunch the towel toward you, focusing on using the tips of your toes to pull the towel. 

• Lift and straighten your toes to continue scrunching the towel. 

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.

Benefits of Isometric Exercises

There are many isometric exercises benefits. Here are some reasons to consider adding isometric training into your movement routine.

• They boost strength and endurance. Isometric exercises are an effective way to increase strength. A 2019 study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that they were actually more effective than traditional strength training. They also improve endurance for muscles that often have to hold one position throughout the day. “If you sit or stand all day, your muscles are in a prolonged contracted position,” says Dr. Martinez. “If you train them in those exercises, it will help them function at their best.”

• They help control pain. Just a single bout of isometric muscle training has been shown to reduce pain. “They are great exercises to do when recovering from an injury, as they help your body get used to muscle movement without overloading it,” says Dr. Martinez. “We also use isometric exercises with people right after surgery to help them regain muscle control in muscles that are still ‘sleeping’ after anesthesia.”

• They improve osteoarthritis. A 2021 study published in the medical journal Cureus found that six weeks of isometric exercises helped people with osteoarthritis. “If you have arthritis, it may initially be too painful to move your joint through its full range of motion,” explains Dr. Martinez. “But as you perform isometric exercises and build up muscles around the joint, you’ll be able to do more — including other types of exercise — with less pain.”

• They can lower blood pressure. A 2023 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that isometric muscle training helps to lower blood pressure. “When your muscle contracts, blood flow decreases,” explains Dr. Martinez. The theory is that when the isometric contraction is released, the return of blood flow sends a signal to your blood vessels to relax, which leads to a natural decrease in blood pressure.

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.

References 

1. Lum, D., & Barbosa, T. M. (2019). Brief Review: Effects of Isometric Strength Training on Strength and Dynamic Performance. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(06), 363–375. doi:10.1055/a-0863-4539

2. Rio, E., Kidgell, D., Purdam, C., Gaida, J., Moseley, G. L., Pearce, A. J., & Cook, J. (2015). Isometric exercise induces analgesia and reduces inhibition in patellar tendinopathy. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(19), 1277–1283.

3. Onwunzo, C. N., Igwe, S. E., Umunnah, J. O., Uchenwoke, C. I., & Ezugwu, U. A. (2021). Effects of Isometric Strengthening Exercises on Pain and Disability Among Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis. Cureus, 13(10). doi:10.7759/cureus.18972

4. Edwards, J. J., Deenmamode, A. H. P., Griffiths, M., Arnold, O., Cooper, N. J., Wiles, J. D., & O’Driscoll, J. M. (2023). Exercise training and resting blood pressure: a large-scale pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(20). doi:10.1136/bjsports-2022-106503