Core stability exercises
Core stability exercises has been studied in 10 papers since 2018: 6 trials in people, 1 review; 3 in the past year. The newest paper, Mar 20, 2026: “The Effect of Low Back Pain Daoyin Exercise Based on the Theory of Goal Attainment on Patients with Lumbar Disc Herniation: Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial”.
10 papers study it9 findingsUpdated
“No significant difference was found for any variables of postural oscillation (P > 0.05) among the three groups studied.”
None of its findings points the other way.
- 4 independent labs in 4 countries
- Human trial6
Studies in people
4 studies gave core stability exercises to people and measured what changed.
Randomized trial34 peopleBoth40-60 years6 weeks
Midlife adults; knee osteoarthritis
Cureus, Jun 13, 2025
up: Improves balance confidence
up: Improves quality of life
up: Improves gait speed
Randomized trial23 peoplemean age = 51.8 ± 11.105‐week
Movement disorders clinical practice, Apr 2, 2024
no change: Has no effect on postural controlP > 0.05, d = 0.02/-0.48
Randomized trial39 people23 years
Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, Aug 8, 2021
up: Improves mediolateral balance control
Trial16 peopleWomen22-25 years30 minutes to at least 24 hours after exercise
Quiet standing on a soft support surface with eyes closed
Acta of bioengineering and biomechanics, Jan 1, 2018
What did studies of Core stability exercises find?
7Studies of Core stability exercises measured 7 outcomes; the most studied are quality of life (1 study), balance confidence (1) and muscle strength (1).
Quality of life
upin humans1
1 study
Quality of life
upin humans1
Core stability exercises improve quality of life in humans.
“Statistically significant group‐time interaction was only showed in the balance confidence ABC (F:5.539; P < 0.007; df:2), quality of life EQ‐5D‐5L Total (F:4.836; P < 0.013;df:2), health status EQ‐5D (F:7.207; P < 0.006, df:1.46), and 4‐MWT (F:6.818; P = 0.007; df:1.45).”
Human trial5‐weekn = 23
Movement disorders clinical practice
Core stability exercises improve quality of life in humans (F:4.836, P = 0.013).
“EQ-5D-5L Total (F:4.836; P = 0.013), EQ 5D (F:7.207; P = 0.006).”
Human trialhereditary ataxia5-weekn = 23
Movement disorders clinical practice
Balance confidence
upin humans1
1 study
Balance confidence
upin humans1
Core stability exercises improve balance confidence in humans.
“Statistically significant group‐time interaction was only showed in the balance confidence ABC (F:5.539; P < 0.007; df:2), quality of life EQ‐5D‐5L Total (F:4.836; P < 0.013;df:2), health status EQ‐5D (F:7.207; P < 0.006, df:1.46), and 4‐MWT (F:6.818; P = 0.007; df:1.45).”
Human trial5‐weekn = 23
Movement disorders clinical practice
Core stability exercises improve balance confidence in humans (F:5.539, P = 0.007).
“Statistically significant group-time interaction was shown in ABC (F:5.539; P = 0.007)”
Human trialhereditary ataxia5-weekn = 23
Movement disorders clinical practice
Muscle strength
upin humans1
1 study
Muscle strength
upin humans1
Core stability exercises improve muscle strength in humans.
“statistically significant improvement in KOOS, muscle strength of knee flexors and extensors, and the number of repetitions on the 30-second chair stand test”
Human trialknee osteoarthritis6 weeksn = 34
Cureus
Falls rate
downin humans1
1 study
Falls rate
downin humans1
Core stability exercises decrease falls rate in humans (18.2% vs 66.7%).
“However, at 10‐weeks, the CG increased to 66.7%, while the EG remained at 18.2%, this difference being statistically significant (P = 0.019).”
Human trial5‐weekn = 23
Movement disorders clinical practice
Gait speed
upin humans1
1 study
Gait speed
upin humans1
Core stability exercises improve gait speed in humans.
“Statistically significant group‐time interaction was only showed in the balance confidence ABC (F:5.539; P < 0.007; df:2), quality of life EQ‐5D‐5L Total (F:4.836; P < 0.013;df:2), health status EQ‐5D (F:7.207; P < 0.006, df:1.46), and 4‐MWT (F:6.818; P = 0.007; df:1.45).”
Human trial5‐weekn = 23
Movement disorders clinical practice
Postural control
no changein humans1
1 study
Postural control
no changein humans1
Core stability exercises have no effect on postural control in humans (P > 0.05, d = 0.02/-0.48).
“No significant difference was found for any variables of postural oscillation (P > 0.05) among the three groups studied.”
Human trialn = 39
Journal of bodywork and movement therapies
Mediolateral balance control
upin humans1
1 study
Mediolateral balance control
upin humans1
Core stability exercises improve mediolateral balance control in humans.
“A single bout of core stability exercises improved the control of the mediolateral body balance.”
Human trialquiet standing on a soft support surface with eyes closed; compared with before exercisea single bout30 minutes to at least 24 hours after exercisefemalesn = 16
Acute effects of core stability exercises on balance control
Acta of bioengineering and biomechanics