Healthy Aging - Balance!

I know I have written about this particular topic before, but it is so important I want to expand on it some more.  Healthy balance is not just good for the elderly.  It is vital for all ages!  Improving balance helps keep us from running into things as we are much more aware of where we are in space.  It also makes falls less likely and injuries might heal faster because less damage is done.

The Dorsal Columns are the areas of your nervous system that control position sense.  This is the system that helps you touch your finger to your nose with your eyes closed.  The medical term for this is proprioception.  You use a combination of memory and proprioception (position sense) every time you drive your car.  How else can you look ahead at the road and still be able to find the pedals at your feet without looking?!  When this part of your nervous system is weak people have a greater problem balancing, have increased incidences of ankle sprains, and even run into doorframes!  Balance is an important issue, especially as we age, when falls can be deadly.

I will go over the basics like I have done in previous articles on balance but I’ll get into more challenging exercises for those who are ready for them!

Basic exercise:  Stand next to a wall or chair where you can reach your hand out to steady yourself if necessary.  Lift one foot off the floor, balancing on the other leg.  Hold this position.  Ten seconds is really good.  If you can only do a couple of seconds, that’s okay, it’s just like any other exercise and will take some time to build up strength.  If you can only do a few seconds, try balancing several times on each leg.  Try not to rest the foot you lift on the leg you are balancing on (that’s cheating!).  Try working up to 20-30 seconds.  If you can go longer – AWESOME!  This simple exercise not only strengthens your proprioception (position sense) but also helps strengthen your leg muscles and the gluteal (butt) muscle that supports your hip while walking.  It also strengthens your ankles.

More Advanced:  Once you feel more comfortable with the basic exercise, try closing your eyes for a few seconds.  Remember to have something nearby to help steady you if you need it.  When your eyes are closed you are relying totally on your proprioception (position sense) and not using visual input for help (which uses another part of your brain).

Every Day:  As you are working on these specific exercises, find ways to incorporate balance into everyday activities such as putting on socks and shoes standing up, tying shoes standing, brush teeth standing on one leg, etc.  You can add balance exercises to your workout routine as well.  Here are some examples of what you might try: 

*If you do standing leg lifts to work your outer thighs, try not holding onto something while you do them (remember to have something nearby, though).  You can also bring your leg back at an angle instead of just to the side to work more of you gluteal muscles.

*Try not to look at your feet while performing exercises or walking (if you can do so safely).  A bonus here is that this helps your posture.  For a small cheat, look at a mirror instead of down at your feet!

*Faster isn’t always necessary.  Even I get discouraged watching “Energizer Bunnies” work out!  Try balancing on one leg and moving your leg in a circle; the wider the circle the greater the workout.  Slow movements help with stability and control and give a really good workout as well.

*Make up any exercise you want that will force you to balance.  Such as standing on one leg and raising your hands up in the air.  Moving around forces your muscles to work harder and further strengthens your proprioception.  You can even try hopping on one leg (hopscotch, anyone?).

* Yoga could be a great activity with certain poses that work on balance.

The next levels:  Once you’ve tried some of the suggestions above and are getting better at your balance you are ready for the next level.  To the exercises above, start adding in head movements.  Try balancing with your head turned to the right, left, looking up and looking down.  You might be surprised that one position might be much more difficult than another.  If so, THAT is the one to work on!  All of these additional challenges force the brain to get even better at fine tuning your balance.  Once you are better at balancing on a stable surface, try (in the same order as above) standing on a pillow to make it just a little harder.

As with any exercise, if you experience pain while performing any of the above, please stop or try changing what you are doing.  Pain is an indicator that something is not functioning properly.  It may indicate that your muscles and joints need some “tender loving care” to help them function their best.  Remember that taking care of yourself now will prevent problems in the future!

All ages benefit from balance exercises so don’t forget to help teach a friend, loved one, or child something new to increase their health. 

It can take time to build up strength in your muscles and your proprioception, so don’t become discouraged.  I’ve used these exercises myself and continue to teach them to my patients.  We have seen great improvements.  Just as we have to continue to exercise our muscles, the same is true for our balance.

Did you like this article?  Do you have a question or topic that you would like to have Dr. Smith cover? Please let her know! You can simply comment.