Easy Tips to Improve Your Balance – At Any Age
Our balance is something we take for granted. Unfortunately, it is an essential skill for remaining healthy throughout our life. With loss of balance comes increases in the frequency and severity of injuries through falls. As we age, we lose this skill through loss of sensory elements (such as with changes in sensation in our feet and impairments in vision), the ability of our brains to integrate information and issue motor commands, and because we lose musculoskeletal function (such as through our joints ability to tell us its position). Diseases common in aging populations lead to further deterioration in balance function in some patients.
Fortunately, along with other things that often decline with age, our balance is one area that we need to focus on and can be maintained or even improved.
6 easy tips to improve your balance
- Stand on one foot for 10-30 seconds at a time. While standing, focus on a single point to help maintain your balance. Use a railing or your kitchen counter for support when you begin.
- Do yoga or Tai Chi. Both of these practices involve mindful movement and help to improve balance and coordination.
- Walk heel to toe. Do this along a hallway using the wall to assist initially. This is a great way to practice proprioception, which is the body’s ability to sense its position in space.
- Practice standing on a pillow. This will challenge your balance and help you to become more aware of your body’s positioning.
- Take part in a dance class. Dancing is a great way to improve balance and coordination as it challenges you to move in multiple directions.
- Work on your core strength. Having a strong core can help to improve your balance and coordination. Try planks, crunches, and other core exercises.
There you have it. Improve your balance and prevent the injuries from ever occurring in the first place.
If you are seeking help with your balance or if something is impairing your balance, our team has strategies and experts that can help. Reach out to us because as always, seeing a medical professional such as your physician or physiotherapist can help. We have a dizziness and balance team, exercise therapy, aquatic therapy and other experts who can assist you with your balance concerns.
In Health, Grant Fedoruk
This information is not meant to replace the advice or treatment of a qualified physician or physiotherapist. It is meant for information only. Please seek an assessment and discuss your treatment options with your caregiver prior to making a decision about your treatment path.
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