The Best Way To Improve Your Balance Is......

We met lots of interesting folks last week at our MoveSmarter event.

One woman, in particular, said that she was most interested in improving her balance--she's just not feeling steady on her feet these days.

There were some interesting clues.....

1) Watching her walk from behind, I could see from the way her pants legs moved that her hips were internally rotating (collapsing inward).

As she walks, each time her weight is completely on one foot, she's thrown off balance by the instability of her hips.

2) We did a shoe check and discovered that the toe box of her shoes was too narrow for her feet. She was missing a stable base of support.

Here's the truth about balance

Having vertigo can throw you off balance. The room is spinning. That's an inner ear (or vestibular) issue.

When people say, "My balance isn't good..." they're suggesting that they think it's a neurological issue.

It's not!

Well, at least the majority of the time. (We're talking horses, not zebras here....)

It's a strength issue.

Before you sign up for a "balance class" know that standing on one leg like a flamingo will only make you good at standing on 1 foot. 🦩🦩

Life is dynamic and effective balance training should be dynamic.

Standing on one foot is a way to test balance. The best way to improve your balance is.....

....with strength training!

Strength training improves both coordination and balance.

🔷 Strength training improves communication between your brain and body so you move more efficiently, meaning better coordination.

🔷 Stronger muscles provide stability and support. A good strength training program trains more than the big skeletal muscles. It addresses the stabilizers in your shoulders, hips, back, and the rest of your body.

I often say, "You're only as strong as your weakest stabilizer."

🔷 A good strength training program improves your posture. When your body's out of alignment, it has to work harder to maintain balance. The farther the spine is away from normal, the greater the chance of falling.

🔷 A good strength training program improves your proprioception. Proprioception is the ability of the body to sense its position in space. Should you slip and fall, trip, or step off a stair wrong—you’ll be better able to “catch” yourself.

Takeaways

People lose balance and coordination because they become weak.

Balance issues typically originate from hip weakness. The best way to improve balance is with multi-joint exercises like squats and step-ups.

Practicing standing on one foot isn't enough, though standing on one foot can help strengthen your feet.