Prone Position

The Vital Role of the Prone Position in Developmental Muscular Growth and Stability

Spending time in a prone position, also known as 'tummy time’ is a key developmental stage in infants for a crucial reason - it plays a significant role in developing the necessary stabilizing and postural muscles required to stand upright and move around eventually.

The relevance of tummy time for babies is well-documented. As a study in the journal Early Human Development (2016) highlights this position being fundamental to the development of muscles and motor skills, contributing substantially to their physical growth. Without adequate tummy time, babies can experience a delay in developing crucial skills, such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and eventually walking.

However, this position is not only vital for infants. The principles that make tummy time beneficial for babies also apply to adults, particularly when it comes to remedying postural issues and restoring functional capabilities.

When adults spend time in a prone position, they can stimulate the development and conditioning of neglected muscle groups. The prone position facilitates the engagement of core stabilizing muscles, posterior chain muscles, and shoulder girdle muscles. These muscle groups are often neglected in day-to-day activities, leading to imbalance and postural complications.

A study published in the Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation (2018) highlighted the positive impact of prone position exercises on back pain patients. The research showed that such exercises significantly improved functional disability, pain intensity, and lumbar mobility.

Give this position a try, but ease into it. For prone position to occur, your hips, pelvis, and spine must all be able to extend together, which is a challenging function for bodies that have adapted to sedentary lifestyles and spend most of their time flexed in chairs.

Softly approach this, 5 min might not feel like much until it’s time to get out of it.

If you want a more specific training plan of corrective exercises to do at home to restore your ability to move, check out the online movement program: