Remember when you were a child and skipped across the rocks on a creek to get to the other side? You spotted the next rock and hopped to it, balancing on one foot briefly then skipping on to the next one. Have you tried crossing a creek as an adult? Second thoughts and inhibitions often cause fear. The fear of slipping into the creek could be your downfall. A fear of falling actually leads to a higher risk of falling. Exercises to improve balance develop functional strength and balance, increase confidence and decrease the risk of falling.
Your Sensory System
Balance is affected by three senses: sight, sound and touch. Your eyes are constantly transmitting information to your brain, even if you aren't focusing on it. Your sense of hearing helps your brain measure stability and motion. Through your sense of touch, your nerves communicate with your brain to confirm your body's position in space. Your brain sends signals back to the muscles to make necessary adjustments in position, contraction or relaxation. Since you use 300 muscles to balance when you are standing still, this sensory system benefits greatly from exercise.
Center of Gravity
Static balance is the ability to balance while holding one position. Dynamic balance is the ability to balance while moving or changing between positions. Both types of balance are important for an active lifestyle. For balance, either statically or dynamically, your center of gravity must be aligned over your base of support. Your center of gravity is the center of your body's weight. It is about one inch below your belly button in the exact center of your body.
Exercises to Improve Static Balance
As you begin balance exercises, have someone stand near you for support. It doesn't take much time to improve balance; just practice a few positions daily. The smaller your base of support, the harder it is to balance. Stand with your feet side by side and at least shoulder-width apart. Gradually decrease the space between your feet until you feel wobbly. Focus your eyes on a point on the wall in front of you and keep your knees soft as you find your balance. Progress to standing with one foot in front of the other, then try standing over only one foot. Once you can balance easily over each foot individually, add an unstable surface and progress through the same steps. Some unstable surfaces that are good for balance training include foam pads, inflatable balance discs and wobble boards.
Exercises to Improve Dynamic Balance
Static training is important, but rarely are you in one position for a long time. The real value of developing static balance is that it helps improve dynamic balance. To move through life balanced, you must both create movement and resist momentum. At any given time, some of your muscles are movers and others are stabilizers that provide balance. As you get better at balancing statically, add movement to your static poses by swinging your arms or the free leg. Then move smoothly from one balanced position into another. For example, transition from balancing on one leg into a forward lunge with the front foot on a balance disc. From that position, you can step up onto the balance disc and stand on it with both feet.
- Journal of Physiotherapy: Balance Training Reduces Fear of Falling and Improves Dynamic Balance and Isometric Strength in Institutionalised Older People: A Randomised Trial
- ACE Advanced Health & Fitness Specialist Manual; American Council on Exercise
- Education Resources Information Center: Static Balance: A Comparative Study of Primary Age Boys and Girls
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