How much time do you spend balancing on one foot?
About 80 percent of the time when you’re walking!
It’s a good fact to keep in mind when thinking about balance training and how important it is to help prevent falls later in life.
About 36 million older adults fall ever year, resulting in more than 32,000 deaths, the CDC says. Those falls lead to 3 million ER visits. One in five causes an injury, like a broken bone.
Strengthen Your Balance
There are lots of exercises to improve your balance. Strength training is key because we need strong muscles to stay upright. Tai Chi and yoga are also good to give us agility and strength.
Talk to me about how to start.
Generally, folks also need to perform exercises on one leg or in a split stance, which resembles foot placement in a step. That means performing some exercises, like split squats, with one foot about 18 inches behind and feet about 18 inches apart.
People can take a similar approach with lunges or while holding TRX straps, or gripping the counter at home.
A basic single-leg reach gives great benefit, too. Just stand on one foot, lean forward and reach down to an object about 2 feet high. Touch it with your fingertips and stand back up. Be sure to hinge at the hip instead of flexing at the waist to avoid injuring your spine.
This is just meant to get you thinking and get you started. Please talk to me about any questions you have. Remember you can practice balance with me or at home.
And don’t think you’re too young to strengthen your balance. Start now, if you haven’t already.