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Spine · Early recovery

Abdominal Bracing

Also called TA Activation, Transversus Abdominis Activation, Transversus Abdominis / Multifidus Activation.

Abdominal Bracing: start and finish positions
Start and finish positions. Photographs by BoneArc.

How to do it

Gently tighten your abdominal muscles as if preparing for a cough. Keep breathing normally, hold the contraction, then relax.

Body region
Spine
Position
Supine
Equipment
No equipment
Recovery phase
Early recovery
Purpose
Core Stability

Used in home programs for

  • Deconditioning / Functional Restoration
  • Lumbar Fusion (TLIF/PLIF/ALIF)
  • Lumbar Laminectomy / Decompression
  • Lumbar Microdiscectomy
  • Lumbar Spondylolisthesis
  • Lumbar Spondylolysis (Pars Stress Injury)
  • Mechanical / Non-Specific Low Back Pain
  • Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Put this in a program

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Related exercises

This page describes one exercise as it appears in the BoneArc library so a clinician can decide whether it belongs in a patient's program. It is not a prescription. Follow the plan your own clinician gave you.