While it’s often overlooked, good balance is an important factor when it comes to overall health. Exercise and nutrition scientist Kathleen Alleaume has five ways to improve your balance.
We all know about the importance of cardiovascular exercise and strength training, but balance exercises are just as important for overall health and particularly for injury prevention.
Balance describes your level of stability – how your body is aligned and positioned, and how it moves during everyday activities, such as walking or reaching for objects. Poor balance can lead to falls and injury, especially for older people. By developing greater balance, you’ll improve your coordination and postural stability, maintain your independence and move more confidently.
Strength and flexibility are two of the most necessary components of good balance. The best ways to improve these are through stretching – which improves range of motion and flexibility – and strength training, particularly the core muscles – which help you stand tall, sit up straight and more easily perform daily activities, such as lifting bags of groceries.
Fortunately, balance is a skill that can be developed and maintained through practise and repetition. What’s more, balance training is good for people of every age and fitness level, and you don’t need much equipment to perform basic exercises. In fact, it all starts with good posture – which you can practise anytime, anywhere!
Here’s an easy way to test your balance. Stand up and imagine you’re about to walk forward in a straight line, placing one foot directly in front of the other so that the heel of your front foot touches the toes of your back foot. Keep both feet flat on the floor and your arms by your sides or in front of you (don’t hold them out to the side). Hold that position and close your eyes. If you can maintain your balance for 30 seconds, you are doing pretty well. If you start wobbling as soon as you close your eyes – or before – your balance could use some improvement.
As always, consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program or if you have a medical condition that affects your ability to exercise safely.
Aim: Helps with climbing stairs and getting in and out of cars and buses.
Aim: Improves stability and helps you step sideways to avoid tripping.
Aim: Helps with getting up and down from a sitting position, and in and out of the car.
Aim: Helps strengthen the calf muscles, which are important for balance and mobility. Strong calf muscles will also assist with climbing stairs and walking.
Aim: Helps keep balance when walking through a narrow space.
Perform each exercise three days per week and you’ll notice significant improvement within two to three weeks. You’ll have better posture and better balance.