Simple exercises can help seniors improve balance

An estimated one in three Americans 65 and older will experience a fall, the leading cause of injury for this group. There can be many reasons for this, but a main contributor is how active we are. Muscle strength, flexibility, endurance and balance all rely on regular movement and thankfully, this can be accomplished in simple ways. Exercises to improve balance include:

Stand with feet touching and eyes open, arms at sides. Look straight ahead and maintain balance for 30 seconds. If successful, repeat with eyes closed for 30 seconds.

Somewhat more difficult: Stand with one foot in front of the other, heel to toe. Maintain balance for 30 seconds. If successful, repeat with eyes closed.

Single Leg Stand: Slowly lift one foot from the floor and hold, then repeat with the other foot. If balance is good, this can be attempted with eyes closed.

Heel-to-Toe walk: With each step the heel of one foot should touch or nearly touch the toes of the other foot. With all balance exercises, try to stand erect, move slowly and look straight ahead.

Sit and Stand: This is a great way to both strengthen the legs and help improve balance. Simply practice standing up and sitting down in a chair without using your arms or hands. When sitting, move the hips back first and then bend the knees. When standing, push through the legs and avoid allowing your torso to come too far forward. Ideally, shoulders will not travel further forward than the knees while standing, and the knees will not bend far beyond he toes. Pay attention to how often you automatically hold on to objects to help you move, such as grabbing the rail when climbing stairs or using the arms of a chair when standing up, even though you may not need to. If you are able, use everyday activities as an opportunity to make use of the many muscles that keep us strong and stable.

Tips:

Keeping a journal will give you a starting point and help you monitor progress, such as comparing how long you are able to stand on one leg over time. Record your scores at least once weekly for a month. Balance training can be performed every day in most cases.

If you are not accustomed to physical activity, already have trouble with balance or have an existing injury or medical condition, see your doctor before attempting any new exercise program.

Loss of balance can happen to people of all ages. Because exercises can be very challenging, for safety, have someone with you or stand close to a wall or other sturdy surface in the event you become unsteady.

Weight training is recommended for nearly everyone and is especially important for older adults. Proper lifting of even very light weights with elderly people has been shown to be of significant value to increasing function and quality of life.

Other types of exercise, including Tai Chi, Yoga and stability ball exercises, can help to improve flexibility, balance and strength.