3 Home Exercises to Help You Balance Better
Doing exercises to improve balance, prevent falls and maintain good mobility is essential, especially as we age.
1. Causes of loss of balance
Maintaining balance requires several parts of the body to work together, including: the central nervous system, eyes, inner ear, muscles, bones and joints…
Various health conditions such as arthritis, inner ear disorders and vision problems can also cause balance problems. Certain medications such as sleeping pills and blood pressure medications can also be the culprits in causing loss of balance...
2. Benefits of balance exercises
Maintaining balance is essential for health and well-being as we age. Balance exercises, including yoga and tai chi, can help reduce the risk of falls and other injuries, improve cognitive function, maintain independence, and improve quality of life.
3. Some balance exercises
Simple exercises practiced gradually and regularly contribute to improving quality of life, making daily activities safer.
French sports physiotherapist Jérôme Auger offers a few simple exercises that can be done at home on a regular basis to help you maintain better balance.
- Exercises to strengthen the body
Stand up straight, bend your left leg up.Arms extended out to the sides, hold for 10 seconds.Then hold for another 10 seconds and close your eyes.Do the same by switching legs.Little by little, increase the time you do this exercise.Then you can do it on an unstable surface (cushion, rolled towel).
- Exercise to extend the body
Stand up straight facing the back of a chair, put one hand on it, stand on your tiptoes, hold the position for a few seconds.- Then try standing on your heels, holding the position for a few seconds.- Do this 5 times.
- Rotation exercises
To increase awareness of the environment through the senses, perform head rotation movements.
Sit or stand with your back straight, turn your head to the left then to the rightUse your eyes to observe your surroundings.You may also find it interesting to stand on one leg while performing this move.
4. Other measures to help the body maintain better balance
- Pay attention to daily balancing movements
Regardless of your age or physical condition, remember to do some time balancing on one leg every day as soon as possible. For example: While brushing your teeth in the morning and evening, while riding the bus, while cooking... Challenge yourself to hold the pose for longer and longer!
- Strengthen muscles
Vision, inner ear and proprioception are used for balance. These qualities decline with age, which is why it is important to continue to exercise to maintain the body's ability to balance. Strengthening muscles, especially in the lower limbs, is also essential for balance: Ride a bike, do squats to build muscle.