SEVEN WAYS TO GET YOUR BALANCE BACK

1. Every time you make a cup of tea, use this as a cue to stand on one leg, keeping well away from the kettle. Use the tips of your fingers for balance, if you need to initially, but work towards taking your hand away. Balance on your left leg for 30 seconds, then change legs. Repeat twice on each leg. Now repeat the exercise with your eyes closed. It’s normal for one side to be easier than the other, though you should work on training out any asymmetry.

2. Stand up hourly. Practice chair squats: stand up then sit down again without using the armrests. Repeat 15 times.

3. Walk up and down stairs without holding on to the handrail.

4. Strengthen your feet. Practice standing on tiptoes. Alternate this with lifting your toes and balancing on your heels. Most of us will initially wobble, on our heels, but you’ll get better with practice. Going barefoot at home can significantly improve your balance, unless you already have a balance problem – in which case keep your shoes on as going barefoot will increase chances of a fall.

5. Practice walking sideways, crossing your feet.

6. If you suffer from dizziness when turning fast try some gaze stability exercises – there are hundreds on Youtube. 7. Sport like tennis and squash, with lots of quick turns, are great for balance – or just hit a ball against a wall. Dancing is great, too (solo is better than with a partner), the more frantic the better – or go rambling over uneven ground.