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Gentle exercises to support your balance [how-to guide]

Are you looking for ways to help prevent you from falling? Maybe you’re looking for tips for a loved one or family member. One of the most common causes of falls for elderly people is lack of balance. To remedy this, there are many ways to improve your balance and address muscle problems, giving you the confidence to get out of your home and enjoy your daily activities, whether they are in Bromley or Westminster. You could start with balance exercises for seniors, which are gentle exercises that are designed to help with mobility.

Everyday tips

Having an exercise routine is very important, especially as you get older. However, it can be quite intimidating. That’s why there are some steps that you can take on a day-to-day basis that will allow you to make positive progress towards improving your balance. These can be done whilst standing and waiting for the kettle to boil, or whilst in the queue for your food shopping.

Maintain good
posture

Good posture is difficult. Your spine should be straight, with relaxed shoulders in line with your hips. Stand with your feet hip width apart and try to curl your pelvis under so that you aren’t arching your back. This will strengthen your core, which is beneficial for stability.

Identify your
dominant leg

By identifying your stronger leg, you will know which leg to focus on improving. When doing your exercises, you could start with your non-dominant leg to make it work harder. This will also direct your attention towards your stance more often.

Pay attention to
the way you stand

When standing, ensure that your weight is evenly distributed between both legs. This may not seem comfortable, but it guarantees strength in both legs and ensures a stable stance. Slightly bend your knees while doing this to decrease the likelihood of hyperextension.

Keep your eyes on
a specific spot

By focussing on a specific spot in your line of vision, you’ll be able to improve your balance. This can prevent dizziness and helps you build up your stability in a laidback setting. You’ll then have more control when you’re out and about.

Know your
limits

Train yourself to not rush. Trying to push beyond your limits is how accidents occur. Take your time and move at a comfortable pace so that you remain in control. There’s no need to risk injuries that will harm your mobility.

Stability exercises

If you’ve pinpointed stability as a part of your life that you’d like to improve, some simple balance exercises will help you achieve your goal. Try doing these every day or a few times a week and keep an eye on your progress!

Exercise 1

Start with your feet hip width apart and slightly bent knees. Shift your weight onto your right leg, bending your left knee up and bringing your left heel up to your glutes. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side. Do this exercise three times over.

Exercise 2

With your feet hip width apart, shift your weight onto your left foot, and slowly extend your right leg up and in front of you. If you can, hold this position for 30 seconds before placing your leg back on the ground and repeating the exercise on your other leg. Repeat three times.

Exercise 3

For this exercise, visualise walking across a tightrope. With your arms out to your sides for stability, keep your eyes on a fixed point in front of you. Walk 20-30 steps, keeping each foot in the air for 2-3 seconds before placing it in front of your other. Go as slowly as you can to challenge your balance.

Exercise 4

Starting with your weight on one foot, extend and lift your other leg off the floor. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds before reaching an arm towards the elevated foot. The change in weight will add an extra challenge. Repeat on the other leg, three times. You could try extending the leg to the side or back, seeing how your balance changes.

Exercise 5

This exercise is a popular yoga pose and is shown to improve balance. For the tree pose, lift one foot and place the sole of your foot flat against the ankle, shin, or thigh of your other leg. Place your arms in a comfortable position and hold the balance for as long as possible. Repeat this on the other side.

Exercise 6

This exercise will strengthen your core. Standing upright with your feet hip width apart, lift your right leg and cross it over your left, placing your foot down next to your left one. Uncross your legs by lifting your left leg and placing it next to your right. Repeat this five times before going in the opposite direction.

Increase

If you’re looking for ways to make these exercises a little harder, you could think about these options:

  • Close your eyes – it’s much more difficult to balance with your eyes closed, so practicing like this will help you increase your stability, preventing any slips!
  • Do the exercises barefoot – this will help you build up strength in the muscles of your feet and ankles. Although it can seem hard at first, persevere!

Back

Luckily, all these exercises can be done with the supervision of someone. This may motivate you or make you feel safer whilst doing them. At Verilife, our experienced care workers will be happy to help you with your stability and offer their expertise in the area. Private home care can entail anything you need, so if your balance is something you’d like some help with, just let us know. Contact us at hello@verilife.co.uk or call 02031419290.

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