A few weeks ago, Mark and I were out walking the dogs. I was looking at the neighbor’s garden instead of where I was going and I didn’t see the dog stop in front of me. I tripped over her and after multiple lunging steps, managed to keep myself upright. Meanwhile, Mark is laughing saying he wished he had it on video.
Same thing happened to my Mom last summer. Her fate wasn’t as fortunate. She fell, sprained her wrist, tore her rotor cup and scraped up her face. It took her 6 months to completely recover!
What was the difference? Age for one. The other, balance.
As we age, we lose muscle mass and strength. Our reflexes and coordination also slow with age. Consequently, we are more prone to stumbles and falls. Exercise and balance work can help or at least slow the pace of decline.
Here are some actions you can take to improve or maintain your balance:
1. Stand on one foot. While you are doing a household chore or watching TV stand on one foot. See how long you can do it. To make it a little more challenging. Stand on one foot and close your eyes, bring your arms above your head, and/or lift your one leg higher off the ground.
2. Practice Tai Chi or yoga at least twice a week. Both types of workouts focus on controlled movement and core strength.
3. Walk heal to toe – like the sobriety test — for 20 paces one way, turn around go 20 paces back.
4. Do squats. Strong legs help keep a stumble from turning into a fall.
5. Take the stairs. Not only are the stairs good for your heart, the stepping action strengthens your lower body.
6. Strengthen your core with planks, crunches, or high stepping. A strong core means better balance and better stability!
How do you know if your balance is where it should be? Test it. Try these three moves to see how well you can balance.
1. On both feet: Stand with feet together, ankles touching and your arms folded across your chest. Close your eyes. Set a timer for 60 seconds. You may sway some, but you should be able to stay that way for 60 seconds. Then, place one foot in front of the other. You should be able to maintain this posture for 40 seconds on both sides.
2. On one foot: Stand on one foot and bend the other knee, lifting non-supporting foot off floor without letting it touch standing leg. (Do this in a doorway so you can grab the sides if you start to fall.) Repeat with eyes closed. People age 60 and younger can typically hold the pose for about 29 seconds with their eyes open, 21 seconds with their eyes closed. People age 61 and older – 22 seconds with eyes open, 10 seconds with eyes closed.
3. On ball of foot: Stand on one foot with hands on hips, and place non-supporting foot against inside knee of standing leg. Raise heel off floor and hold the pose—you should be able to do so for 25 seconds.
Source: http://www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/6-ways-improve-your-balance