Got a little time to kill? Here\u2019s how to put it to good use. <\/p>\n
A team of Japanese researchers has designed a daily workout routine that studies suggest can improve posture<\/a>, flexibility, balance and agility \u2014 and it only takes 10 minutes.<\/p>\n Best of all, you don\u2019t have to wobble on a foam roller or attempt a one-legged balancing act.<\/a> In fact, the regimen may even win over those who usually avoid exercise altogether.<\/p>\n Four simple exercises can improve your stability and flexibility in just two weeks. contrastwerkstatt \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n That\u2019s because the routine is built around four exercises done lying<\/a> on the floor or a yoga mat.<\/p>\n \u201cWe chose the supine position because lying down reduces the postural demands placed on antigravity muscles, such as those in the back and lower limbs,\u201d Dr. Yoriko Atomi, study co-author, told Medical News Today<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cThis creates a simpler mechanical environment where participants may be better able to focus on coordinating the core muscles of the trunk with lower limb movement,\u201d she explained. <\/p>\n Over time, the routine is designed to help the body use its muscles better, improving coordination and control.<\/p>\n Atomi said similar exercises \u201csaved\u201d her in her 70s, when lower back pain and knee osteoarthritis<\/a> made even walking a challenge. <\/p>\n \u201cI have been able to move more energetically and comfortably than ever before over the past 10 years,\u201d the octogenarian told NBC News<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019ve even been able to jog again.\u201d<\/p>\n But don\u2019t just take her word for it.<\/p>\n The exercises should be completed lying on the ground or a yoga mat, not your bed, couch or other soft surfaces. PLoS One<\/p>\n Eager to test the routine, Atomi and her colleagues conducted two experiments<\/a> involving healthy young adults, who alternated between exercise and control periods.<\/p>\n During the exercise phase, participants performed the routine once a day at home for two weeks. During the control phase, they continued their normal daily activities.<\/p>\n At the start and end of each phase, researchers measured the participants\u2019 balance, agility, flexibility<\/a> and movement stability using a range of physical tests.<\/p>\n After two weeks of the routine, participants had improved flexibility, reaching significantly farther in a seated reach test compared with the control phase.<\/p>\n They also demonstrated better balance and agility, with testing showing greater stability in the head and chest during movement.<\/p>\n \u201cThese findings suggest that this short-duration exercise program in a biomechanically safe supine position may enhance postural control and flexibility in healthy individuals,\u201d the study authors wrote Wednesday in PLOS One<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe approach may also be useful for fall prevention and early-stage rehabilitation.\u201d<\/p>\n But don\u2019t break out the yoga mat for grandma just yet. <\/p>\n The study was conducted in young, healthy participants, so the safety and effectiveness of the exercises in older adults still needs to be studied. <\/p>\n If they do hold up, the routine could offer a simple tool in addressing a major public health issue: falls.<\/p>\n The number of older adults dying from unintentional falls is on the rise. LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n More than 1 in 4 Americans aged 65 and older fall each year<\/a>, leading to about 3 million emergency department visits annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>.<\/p>\n