KEY POINTS
- Pain isn’t always where the problem starts. Neglected muscles can alter how the body moves, so a stiff back, aching knee, or persistent shoulder tension may not originate where symptoms are felt.
- Neglected muscles aren’t always weak muscles. A muscle can be strong yet contribute poorly if it isn’t activating or working in coordination with other muscles..
- How you move each day influences which muscles become neglected. Long periods of sitting, repeating the same movements, or focusing only on certain exercises can leave important muscles underused, even if you exercise regularly.
The abs. The arms. The chest. The glutes.
These are often the muscles most of us notice first and train most often. Some of the muscles that support balance, posture, breathing, joint health, and long-term mobility are easier to overlook, despite being essential in how the body functions every day.
Even regular exercise doesn’t guarantee that every muscle group is contributing effectively. A person may walk thousands of steps a day or spend hours in the gym and still experience recurring aches, stiffness, balance problems, or movement limitations.
One reason is that the body can continue functioning even when some muscles contribute less effectively. Other muscles often compensate to keep movement going. Over time, these changes can alter how the body moves and where symptoms appear.
This helps explain why discomfort isn’t always caused by the area where it’s felt. Repeatedly stretching a tight muscle, massaging a painful area, or focusing on the joint where discomfort appears may provide only temporary relief if the underlying cause lies elsewhere.
Many people focus on visible muscles such as the abs, arms, or chest, but it’s often a case of “out of sight, out of mind,” explains physiotherapist Jaclyn. Muscles that are less visible are frequently overlooked in typical fitness routines, including the pelvic floor muscles, intrinsic foot muscles, and deep neck flexors.
These muscles are generally low-load, endurance-oriented, helping to support posture, stability and efficient movement throughout the day. Because they aren’t commonly associated with aesthetics or exercises that attract the most attention in the gym, they often receive less focus in conventional training programmes.
Awareness and understanding also play an important role in shaping training habits. People are naturally more likely to prioritise muscles they can easily see or feel working, while less visible muscles may be overlooked despite their contribution to everyday function and long-term physical health.
Why do some muscles become neglected?
Daily routines don’t challenge all muscles equally. Much of the day may be spent sitting, driving, working at a desk, or performing the same movements repeatedly. Gradually, some muscles may become less engaged simply because they’re used less often.
Activities such as squatting, climbing, carrying, balancing, and changing direction are less common in daily life than they once were, giving some muscles few opportunities to work regularly.
The effects aren’t always immediately obvious. A person may spend years stretching a "tight" lower back when underactive glute muscles are part of the issue. Persistent shoulder tension may sometimes reflect poor shoulder stability rather than a lack of flexibility, while knee discomfort may occasionally have as much to do with the muscles around the hips and calves as the knee itself.
Common warning signs include:
- Frequent neck and shoulder tension
- Lower back discomfort
- Stiff hips
- Poor balance
- Difficulty getting up from the floor
- Fatigue during walking
- Reduced exercise performance
- Recurring injuries despite staying active
From a functional and long-term health perspective, these underutilised muscles play an important role in posture, joint stability, movement efficiency, and injury risk because muscles rarely work in isolation.
For example, the pelvic floor muscles work together with the diaphragm and abdominal muscles to help regulate intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), which contributes to stability around the lower back and hips during movements such as a heavy squat.
Movement efficiency and injury prevention can be likened to a form of production line and risk management, where timing, coordination, and control are often better predictors of posture and injury resilience than strength alone
During running, appropriate engagement of the core stabilising muscles helps reduce unnecessary movement and rotation through the lower back and hips. This improves force transfer between both sides of the body and during ground impact. However, as fatigue sets in, the ability to maintain trunk stability may decline, contributing to less efficient force transfer, movement imbalance, and a higher risk of injury.
Ultimately, stability arises from the nervous system’s ability to activate the right muscles, at the right time, and at the appropriate intensity to meet the demands of a particular activity.
The muscles most likely to become underused depend largely on how we move each day. An office worker, runner, older adult, and regular gym-goer may all experience the effects of neglected muscles, but the muscle groups involved aren’t necessarily the same.
For office workers: The deep core and glute muscles
When back discomfort develops, many desk workers naturally focus on the back itself. Long periods of sitting, however, may mean the deep abdominal muscles that help stabilise the spine and the glute muscles are used less during the day.
As this happens, the lower back and hip flexors may take on more work than they were designed to handle. Some people notice stiffness when standing up after sitting for long periods, discomfort during a commute, aching in the lower back by the end of the day, or reduced stability during exercise.
The deep core and glute muscles work together to help keep the spine and pelvis stable during everyday activities such as standing, lifting, walking, climbing stairs, and changing direction. Together, they provide a stable foundation for efficient movement by helping to distribute forces more evenly throughout the body.
When these muscles aren’t functioning as effectively, the effects are often felt elsewhere. A person may experience recurring lower back tightness, hip discomfort, or knee symptoms without realising that underused core or glute muscles may be contributing to the problem.
For individuals with sedentary or desk-based lifestyles, some of the muscles most at risk of becoming weak or inactive are the larger “power-generating” muscles. In general, these bigger muscles tend to be lost more readily over time.
There are two main types of muscle fibres: Type 1 fibres, which are smaller, endurance-oriented slow twitch fibres, and Type 2 fibres, which are larger fast twitch fibres involved in power and force generation. Type 2 muscle fibres tend to atrophy more rapidly, particularly in more sedentary lifestyles.
However, not all large muscles are affected equally. In people who spend prolonged periods sitting, gluteal inhibition may occur, while the hip flexors can become shortened or tight. Over time, this may place greater strain on the lower back and hamstrings as these areas work harder to help stabilise the hips and spine.
Re-engaging these muscles often starts with incorporating more movement into daily routines. This can include:
- Standing for 10 minutes after every hour of sitting
- “Snack” exercises such as heel raises while brushing your teeth
- Squats or sit-to-stands while watching television
These small habits can help people incorporate movement more consistently throughout the day. However, they’re not a substitute for more structured exercise training involving variations in tempo, power, and resistance which is generally most beneficial for maintaining long-term muscle function and strength.
While these strategies can help re-engage underused muscles, they also raise a broader question: can a few gym sessions each week fully counteract the effects of prolonged sitting?
While regular exercise is important, it’s not a complete substitute for regular movement throughout the day. From both a health and muscle function perspective, the most effective approach combines structured exercise with efforts to reduce prolonged periods of sitting.
Key recommendations include:
Minimise prolonged sedentary behaviour by breaking up long periods of sitting whenever possible.
Incorporate regular movement snacks throughout the day, such as 10 squats or a short three-minute walk every hour, to help increase muscular activity and support blood sugar regulation.
Engage in resistance and power training at least twice a week, resistance and power training at least twice a week,
The goal isn’t simply to exercise for a few hours each week, but to combine structured training with regular movement throughout the day.
For older adults: The muscles that help keep you steady
Balance is often viewed as a natural consequence of ageing, but discussions about balance often overlook the muscles that that help keep us steady during everyday activities.
The muscles around the hips, ankles, and lower legs are constantly making small adjustments to help keep the body upright and stable, even during everyday activities such as standing, walking, and turning. As these muscles weaken, everyday tasks such as climbing stairs, walking on uneven surfaces, or changing direction can become more challenging.
Some people notice they’re more cautious on stairs, hesitate before stepping off a curb, feel less steady when walking outdoors, or find it harder to recover after a small loss of balance.
Warning signs may include:
- Needing support when standing on one leg
- Feeling less steady when turning
- Difficulty getting up from low chairs
- Walking more slowly than before
- Reduced confidence outdoors
Ageing influences muscle function, but not every change in balance or mobility is explained by age alone. With appropriate exercise and training, strength, coordination, and confidence can often be maintained or improved.
For runners and walkers: When the pain isn’t where the problem starts
Many runners and walkers focus on covering more distance, improving endurance, or increasing speed. Less obvious are the smaller muscles on the side of the hips, which stabilise the pelvis and control movement through the hips and knees during walking and running.
These muscles help keep the pelvis level and guide how forces are transferred through the hips, knees, and feet with every step, whether walking or running. When they contribute less effectively, other muscles and joints in the lower body may be placed under additional stress.
Potential warning signs include:
- Knee pain during or after walking or running
- Recurring shin discomfort
- One-sided hip pain
- Excessive fatigue during longer walks or runs
- Feeling unstable on uneven ground or downhill
For this reason, clinicians often assess the entire movement chain rather than focusing only on the painful area.
For gym-goers: The shoulder muscles that help keep the shoulder stable
The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body. While gym programmes often focus on the larger chest, shoulder, and arm muscles, the smaller stabilising muscles around the joint are often overlooked. These muscles, collectively known as the rotator cuff, these muscles work together to keep the shoulder centred within its socket, allowing smooth movement during lifting, reaching, pushing, and pulling.
When these muscles contribute less effectively, warning signs may include:
- Shoulder discomfort during pressing exercises
- Clicking or catching sensations
- Pain when reaching overhead
- Reduced strength despite regular training
- Persistent shoulder tightness
A strong shoulder depends on stability as much as strength. In some cases, recurring shoulder tightness or discomfort reflects muscles working harder to keep the joint stable rather than a shoulder that simply needs more stretching.
Jaclyn notes that even in people who exercise regularly, certain movement patterns can suggest that some muscles aren’t being activated or coordinated effectively. In many cases, it’s only after an injury occurs that people become aware of movement habits that could have been optimised earlier. Prevention, however, is always preferable to treatment.
For example, runners who struggle to improve their pace despite consistent training, or individuals who experience recurrent knee pain during or after sport, may benefit from a professional movement assessment to identify underlying movement inefficiencies or muscle activation issues.
Some subtle signs to look out for include:
Knees collapsing inward during squats
Feeling noticeably less stable on one side when walking up or down stairs
Shoulder blades appearing to “wing” or lift away from the rib cage
These patterns may reflect issues with muscle coordination, stability, or motor control rather than a simple lack of strength alone.
Once movement inefficiencies are identified, the next step isn’t always to strengthen a weak muscle. In many cases, retraining involves a process of skill learning, helping the body develop more efficient and coordinated movement patterns.
Jaclyn explains that the first stage focuses on building awareness of the movement pattern. This often involves guided practice with feedback from a physiotherapist or coach, using verbal cues, visual feedback, or, in some cases, specialised tools that help individuals better understand how they’re moving.
As practice continues, individuals gradually develop a greater ability to recognise and self-correct their movement patterns. Over time, the goal is for the movement to become increasingly automatic, requiring little conscious thought during everyday activities or exercise.
This is one reason why strengthening a muscle alone isn’t always enough. A muscle may be capable of producing force, but movement quality depends on how effectively muscles work together and how well the nervous system coordinates them. While weakness can contribute to movement problems, improving movement often requires retraining the movement pattern itself, not just building strength.
The muscles most people never think about: The diaphragm
When people think about muscles, breathing is usually not the first thing that comes to mind, even though the diaphragm is one of the body’s most important muscles.
The diaphragm contributes not only to breathing, but also to core stability, posture, and the pressure that helps support efficient movement throughout the body. Long hours of sitting, chronic stress, and shallow breathing patterns may encourage greater reliance on the muscles of the neck and upper chest.
Potential signs include:
- Frequent upper chest breathing
- Neck and shoulder tension
- Feeling breathless during moderate activity
- Difficulty relaxing
- Reduced exercise endurance
Changes in breathing patterns may also influence posture, movement, and physical performance.
Strong muscles are not always functional muscles
One of the biggest misconceptions in fitness is that muscle size automatically translates into better function. Someone may perform well in certain exercises yet still struggle with balance, stability, mobility, or movement control because muscles aren’t working together as effectively as they could.
This is why movement quality matters as much as strength. The body relies on multiple muscles working together to support efficient, controlled movement rather than individual muscles working in isolation.
Building stronger muscles remains important, but strength is only one part of healthy movement. Muscles also need to contribute at the right time and in the right way for everyday activities to feel efficient, comfortable, and controlled.
How can you tell if a muscle is being neglected?
The body often provides subtle clues before problems become more noticeable. Potential warning signs include:
- One side of the body feeling noticeably weaker
- Difficulty performing everyday movements
- Poor balance
- Persistent muscle tightness despite stretching
- Reduced flexibility that doesn't improve
- Fatigue during activities that previously felt easy
- Ongoing aches without an obvious cause
- Recurrent injuries in the same area
A muscle that feels tight or painful isn’t always the source of the problem. In some cases, weakness or poor muscle coordination elsewhere may be causing other muscles to work harder than they should.
Is strengthening the answer?
Strengthening alone isn’t always enough. A muscle can be strong during an exercise yet still contribute poorly during everyday activities.
In some cases, strengthening may help. In others, the issue may involve coordination, balance, movement patterns, breathing habits, mobility limitations, or an underlying injury. Muscles need to be strong enough, but they also need to be activated at the right time and coordinate effectively during movement.
This is why rehabilitation and exercise programmes often focus not only on building strength, but also on improving how muscles work together during walking, lifting, climbing stairs, reaching overhead, and other everyday movements.
For people without significant pain or injury, regularly challenging the body through strength training, balance exercises, mobility work, and varied everyday movement may help keep commonly underused muscle active and functioning well.
When should you seek advice?
Occasional muscle soreness after activity is normal. It may be worth seeking professional assessment if you experience:
- Pain lasting more than a few weeks
- Repeated injuries
- Progressive weakness
- Balance difficulties
- Frequent falls or near-falls
- Persistent shoulder, hip, knee, or back pain
- Difficulty performing everyday tasksv
- Significant changes in walking or movement
A physiotherapist, sports medicine physician, exercise physiologist, or qualified exercise professional can assess how your muscles work together and whether underperforming muscle groups may be contributing to your symptoms.
Rather than focusing too narrowly on specific muscles, Jaclyn emphasises prioritising movement itself, particularly movement variety and consistency. For long-term movement health and longevity, engaging in different forms of exercise may offer broader benefits than isolating individual muscle groups alone.
Activities such as running, Tai Chi, and weight training can collectively support the three major pillars of physical wellness: cardiopulmonary fitness, strength, and balance.
That said, if there were a few commonly neglected areas worth prioritising, Jaclyn notes that the glutes, core, and foot and ankle muscles would be particularly important because of their role in stability, movement efficiency, and force transfer throughout the body.
She also highlights the importance of moving joints through their full range of motion and varying the tempo and resistance of exercises to better support long-term function and resilience.
What your symptoms might be telling you?
A stiff back, an aching knee, poor balance, or persistent shoulder tension don’t always originate where the symptoms appear. Sometimes the source lies in muscles that have gradually stopped functioning as effectively as they once did, prompting other muscles to compensate.
Everyday movements such as walking, lifting, reaching, climbing stairs, and maintaining balance depend on coordinated muscle function. Understanding that relationship may help explain why some symptoms persist and why the source of a problem isn’t always where it first appears.
Jaclyn Jiang
Physiotherapist
Thrive Healthcare, Singapore
Instagram: @thrivehealthcaresg
This article was produced by Healthful For You. The views and opinions expressed throughout are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Expert Contributor. The Expert Contributor has provided input solely for the EXPERT INSIGHT and TIP segments, based on their professional expertise. These comments are intended to offer general guidance and may not apply to all individuals. Any interpretations or conclusions beyond that section are those of Healthful For You. This article is not a substitute for personalised medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your doctor or a healthcare professional regarding your specific health needs.
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