8 Core Exercises for Seniors, Recommended by Physical Therapists

If you immediately think of crunches and sit-ups when someone mentions core exercises, it’s time to rethink what you may have learned in high school gym class. There’s more to keeping your core strong than just those moves. A strong core — which consists of all the muscles in your trunk, from your neck to your pelvis and from your belly and chest to your backside — is important for all ages and becomes even more essential as you get older. That’s why core exercises for seniors can be particularly helpful in staying strong and stable. 

“The core is involved in so many different movements, like balancing, walking, carrying groceries, grabbing something off a high shelf, getting in and out of bed, picking up grandkids, and playing sports like pickleball and golf,” says Julianne Payton, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. “The stronger your core, the more stable you'll be in daily life.”

Read on to learn more about the benefits of a strong core and which core exercises for seniors are 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.

8 PT-Recommended Core Exercises for Seniors

A significant portion of the core’s responsibility involves keeping you upright and steady, especially as other body parts are moving. Many of the exercises suggested below are isometric. Isometric exercises require your muscles to contract without any movement. So, you’re holding a position instead of doing reps. 

“Isometric exercise can help build stability,” says Dr. Payton. This can become important for seniors who may start to feel less steady on their feet and want to improve their balance and prevent falls. Aim to do the below exercises three times a week to start, making sure to engage your core muscles as you do them.

“This exercise works on coordinating the upper and lower body to help you feel more stable and stronger throughout the core,” says Dr. Payton. Practicing this isometric exercise will improve your ability to do tasks like picking things up off the floor and reaching for objects overhead.

How to do it: 

• Start by standing with your feet a comfortable distance apart.

• Step forward with one foot and bend through that knee as your back leg remains straight. 

• Raise your arms overhead as you lean your chest slightly toward the floor. 

• Hold this position while you focus on maintaining your balance. 

• PT Tip: Remember to breathe normally, inhaling and exhaling through your nose, as you perform this exercise (and all the exercises on this list). You can ensure that you’re breathing by counting aloud as you hold the position.

An important action of the core is rotation. This isometric exercise targets rotational muscles like the obliques that wrap around your torso. “Building rotational strength through the core is essential when moving your upper body across your core, like when playing golf or pickleball,” says Dr. Payton. It’s also needed for everyday tasks like emptying the dishwasher, transferring laundry from the washer to the dryer, and doing yard work like raking.

How to do it: 

• Stand next to a wall with your arms together and resting on the wall, at about chest height. 

• Press your arms into the wall, turning your torso just slightly toward the wall, and hold. 

Get more information on how to do a pallof press.

You can do this gentle isometric exercise anytime you’re sitting at a table or desk. “It works your rectus abdominus in the front of your abdomen, and it’s good for improving your ability to do things like getting up off the floor and out of bed,” says Dr. Payton.

How to do it: 

• Sit in front of a table with your arms straight and your palms facing down and hovering just above the table.  

• Push your hands down into the table as hard as you can.  

• Squeeze your abdominal muscles as you continue to push down.

This isometric exercise is a great core strengthener and targets your arms, shoulders, and legs. “As you’re trying to stabilize yourself, your entire core, front and back, along with other muscles, are activated,” says Dr. Payton. 

How to do it: 

• Stand with your hands on a sturdy surface, such as a countertop or table. 

• Walk your feet back from the table and lean your chest toward the table to put your weight through your arms. 

• Hold this position and focus on using your core muscles.

Similar to the plank on table, this isometric exercise activates your core along with upper and lower body muscles. Balancing on one arm “really works the muscles along the side of your trunk,” says Dr. Payton. “These muscles are good for rotational movements and reaching activities, like grabbing something from a high shelf.” 

How to do it: 

• Stand next to a wall and place your forearm on the wall at shoulder height. 

• Step your feet away from the wall while you place more weight onto your forearm. 

• Focus on squeezing your core muscles as you hold this position.

Squats are usually thought of as a leg or lower body strengthener, but you have to activate your core to stay upright while your legs are moving. This helps strengthen your core and improve your ability to do everyday tasks, like standing up from a chair, getting out of bed, and using the toilet. “The better you are with squats, the more stable you’ll be,” Dr. Payton says.

How to do it: 

• Stand with your feet comfortably apart.

• Keeping most of your weight in your heels, reach your hips back while bending your knees, as if you were sitting in a chair. 

• Hold this position while you focus on squeezing your thigh and hip muscles. 

Get more information on how to do a squat.

A primary job of your core is to keep you balanced, so exercises that challenge your balance increase the workload on your core muscles. "Not only are you trying to maintain a position, you're trying to maintain a position on one leg,” says Dr. Payton. Strengthening the stabilizing muscles in your core will keep you steadier when navigating uneven surfaces like rocky paths or crowded sidewalks. 

How to do it:  

• Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and lift your arms out to your sides to help keep you steady. 

• Stand on one of your legs by lifting one foot off of the floor behind you while hinging at your hips to bring your chest forward. 

• Bend your knee with control into a squat position, focusing on your balance.

This exercise challenges your core muscles in different ways. “You usually move forward and backward, but life is messy,” says Dr. Payton. “For example, you’re walking in a busy airport, and suddenly, you may have to change directions quickly.” Mini side lunges prepare your core and lower body to execute these types of lateral, side-to-side movements safely.

How to do it: 

• Stand with your feet wider than hip distance and your hands on your hips. Your feet can be facing forward or turned slightly outward, depending on comfort. 

• Bend one knee as you shift your body weight toward the same side, coming into a side lunge. 

• As you bend through your knee, aim to have your knee positioned over your ankle and behind your toes. Your other leg will remain mostly straight.

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 Core Exercises for Seniors

Core exercises for seniors come with a host of benefits. Over time, you may notice these improvements:

• Increased activity. Your core powers activities like walking, climbing stairs, and getting up from the couch or out of bed. When it’s easier to get around, you’ll likely move more.

• Great ability to manage everyday tasks. “Your core provides support so you can handle all the different positions you get into in daily life,” says Dr. Payton. Every time you bend, reach, twist, pick something up, walk, or stand still, you’re calling on your core. You won’t struggle to do these and other activities when your core is strong and flexible.

• Less pain. Strengthening your core ensures your body moves efficiently and effectively, reducing stress on your back and other joints. Research shows that strengthening your core can ease back pain.

• Improved balance. Your core is responsible for stabilizing your body, whether you’re moving in different directions, navigating bumpy terrain, or standing in one spot. “If your core is better at keeping your trunk in a neutral position, you’ll feel more stable, upright, and balanced,” says Dr. Payton. Your upper core and neck muscles also have a direct impact on your balance, so flexibility and strength in these areas is key. 

• Decreased risk of injury. A main responsibility of the core stabilizing muscles is to control movement. The more control you have, the less stress there is on your body. “This protects you from injuries and can make your back more resilient,” says Dr. Payton. Better balance can also reduce your risk of falling and injuring yourself. One study even found that including core exercises in warm-ups reduced the risk of injuries in soccer players.

• Improved performance. A strong core adds power to your golf swing, keeps you balanced as you lunge to hit a tennis ball, and gives you the stamina for long bike rides, hikes, or walks. Not only will it improve your performance, but a strong core will keep you playing or enjoying your favorite recreational activities for years to come.

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. Cho, H., Kim, E., & Kim, J. (2014). Effects of the CORE Exercise Program on Pain and Active Range of Motion in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 26(8), 1237–1240. doi:10.1589/jpts.26.1237

2. Imai, A., Imai, T., Iizuka, S., & Kaneoka, K. (2018). A Trunk Stabilization Exercise Warm-up May Reduce Ankle Injuries in Junior Soccer Players. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 39(04), 270–274. doi:10.1055/s-0044-100923