Fitness by Jennifer Cox 7 Quick ways to improve your balance Balance plays such an important role throughout our lives, and this is especially true for seniors. Having good balance can help prevent falls and injuries, it helps us move around better and it allows us to build up muscle tone and strength. Some say that having good balance as an older person can even help to improve mental awareness and memory. Things such as cardio workouts and strength or resistance training are incredibly beneficial but, just as important, is finding quick ways to improve your balance. As a writer with the School of Human Movement and Sport Sciences said, the ability to control balance is impaired in older adults because of the deterioration in the sensory and musculoskeletal systems. However, a combination of balance and co-ordination exercises can help, and these include core exercises, standing on unstable surfaces and changing body directions. Here are some exercises to help improve your balance later in life. But please remember: before attempting any new workout, be sure to check with your physician and to start off slowly. Heel raises The end goal is to be able to do these without support but, to start, use a chair or wall for reinforcement. Stand straight and tall and then slowly raise yourself up onto your tiptoes so that your heels come off of the ground. Then return to standing flat. Continue to do this five to 10 times. Heel-to-toe walking Walk along a straight line on the floor and try to walk heel-to-toe for 10-15 feet, and then back again. If you need a bit of visual guidance, put a piece of tape on the floor that you can follow with your steps. Balancing on one foot Again, if your balance isn’t great and you’re just starting to add these types of exercises to your daily regimen, youmight want to have a chair edge or wall to lean on (or at least have one within arm’s reach, in case you start to lose your balance). Take turns balancing for five seconds on each foot, alternating from right to left, for a count of 10. Shoulder rolls This exercise should be done while standing – the important thing here is to have good posture, so it might help to do this movement in front of a mirror so that you can correct your stance if need be. Roll both of your shoulders in slow, full circles 10 times. Rest for a count of five. Repeat. Rock the boat Stand with your feet hip-width apart, extend your arms out at your sides and slowly lift your left leg bending at the knee. Then put it back down. Do the same with your right leg. Repeat this movement five times and incrementally increase the number of reps with time. Back leg raises You will definitely need the back of a chair or couch, or even a table, to lean on for this exercise. Stand straight with both feet firmly planted on the ground and then bend one leg, extend it slowly back behind you and then return to a stand. Repeat five times, alternating your legs from left to right. Marching Sounds simple enough, right? Marching is a great way to not only get your heart pumping and help your muscles warm up, it’s also a fantastic way to improve your co-ordination and overall balance. Take a march through the house a few times. Be sure to take your time and concentrate on each exaggerated step. 38 | www.snowbirds.org
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