Abdominal Bracing

Builds gentle deep-core support that protects your spine during daily movement.

Abdominal Bracing exercise illustration

What it helps

Switches on the deep core muscles that stabilize and protect your spine through everyday movement — lifting, bending, twisting.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your back with knees bent.
  2. Gently tighten your stomach as if bracing for a light poke — do not suck in or hold your breath.
  3. Hold the light tension while breathing normally, then relax.

Tips

  • Aim for about 20% effort, not a maximal squeeze.
  • Brace before you roll, stand, or reach.

Commonly done as hold 5–10s sets of 10, a few times a day.

Where this appears in recovery

Abdominal Bracing is part of 7 recovery programs, typically in the phase 1 and phase 2 stage. Each program shows how it fits alongside the other movements:

All exercise guides · Condition guides · Recovery education

These are general exercise guides, not a personal prescription. The repetitions and frequency shown are what's commonly used — your own surgeon or therapist may advise something different, and their guidance comes first.