We lose balance as we age, but we do have a lot of control in slowing this process to a crawl. Maintaining balance can help to prevent falls and help with coordination. As we age we seem to shorten our stride and keep our feet closer to the ground as we walk. This is because of a lack of balance. This is also what causes many seniors to trip and fall. Balance exercises can be performed every day. Here are a few to try.
One leg stand: See how long you can stand on your right leg without holding on. Now stand on your left leg. You should notice an increase in your ability with practice. Set a goal at 2 miutes for each leg.
Stand in front of a chair. Now sit down slowly without holding on. Now get up slowly without holding on. This is very basic, but many people cannot do this.
Kneel on all fours. Your back should be straight. Hold your head level with your back. Now lift your right arm in front of you while lifting and straightening your left leg behind you. Hold as long as you can. Try to get 1 minute before changing to
your left arm in front and your right leg behind you.
A fun way to do these exercises is by challenging someone to see who can keep their balance the longest.
2 comments:
You are right. I have noticed that I am losing my balance. My kids make fun of me. Now I can fix this problem. thanks for your help.
HMM! I never knew you could actually slow this process! WOW
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