So you’ve got poor balance…..
If you’ve been noticing that your balance has been deteriorating lately then you’re not alone.
Balance issues can affect all of us, especially as we get older. We naturally become less efficient and weaker in all aspects that contribute to good balance.
The good news is that we can generally improve all the parts of balance to obtain an overall improvement.
In this article, I will reveal the 4 major causes of poor balance and how to fix them.
I’m Mike, a Specialist Physiotherapist and in my 20-year career I’ve helped 100’s of patients improve their balance and get back to the things they love and I’m going to help you too.
Let’s start with the basics. The four things that can affect your balance are:
- Eyesight
- Vestibular System (Inner ear)
- Muscle Strength
- Proprioception
1. Eyesight
It’s calculated that approximately 25% of our balance is regulated by what we can see. Our eyesight typically declines with age, impacting our standing and walking balance.
We can’t organically improve our eyesight. Many programmes suggest that you can, but these remain unproven and the research does not back up the claims.
We can support our eyesight through superior nutrition and supplementation. Most of the vitamins and anti-oxidants that support healthy eyesight can be found in everyday foods.
Try to include foods high in vitamin A and lutein sich as:
- Carrots, Kale and Spring Greens
- Courgettes and Brussel Sprouts
- Sweet Potatoes
- If you’re a meat eater, Liver is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
However, the bottom line is to make sure that you get your eyesight regularly checked and if prescribed, wear your glasses!
2. Vestibular System
The Vestibular System is simply our equilibrium system. It provides us with the essential information required for optimal balance. It is situated within the inner ear.
Like all parts of our body, it can deteriorate with age. But it can be improved with specific training and in particular some really simple exercises.
Vestibular Retraining Exercises
Do these in a comfortable sitting position.
You should complete 3 sets of 5 repetitions of each starting with exercise 1.
1. Eye Movements – At first slow, then quick.
a) Up and down
b) Side to side
c) Focus on finger moving towards your face and then away.
2. Head Movements – At first slow, then quick and finally with eyes closed.
a) Bend backwards and forwards
b) Turn from side to side
3. Shoulder Shrugging and Circling.
4. Bend forward and pick up objects from the ground.
5. Change from sitting to standing at first with eyes open and then eyes closed.
6. Throw a small ball from hand to hand.
7. Change from sitting to standing, turning around in between.
These exercises are designed to challenge your vestibular system. This might result in temporary dizziness. This is normal and should be challenged if possible.
As the body gets used to the movements, the potential for causing dizziness diminishes showing that the exercises are working and the Vestibular System is getting stronger.
3. Muscle Strength
With age comes diminishing muscle mass. The strength of our leg and glute muscles contribute to a more stable base when we stand or move from sitting to standing.
A great way to improve your balance is to work on the strength of these muscles.
We can achieve this with some really simple exercises that do not require any specialist equipment and can be performed at home.
I love the Slow Sit Exercise for improving leg and gluteal strength and there are two versions.
Easy and Advanced.
Easy Stand to Sit (Partial Squat)
Standing next to a table for support with a chair behind you.
Slowly bend your knees, lowering your bottom towards the chair behind you.
You should aim to take 3 seconds during this phase.
The chair is behind you as a guide only. You are just bending your knees into a comfortable position.
To complete the movement stand up (at normal pace).
Aim to complete 6-10 repetitions and as you get stronger add in several sets.
Advanced (Slow Sit Exercise)
The more advanced version requires you to complete the sit into the chair behind you.
Remember to take 3 seconds to go from standing to sitting.
As you reach the chair with your bottom, control the landing. Don’t just flop into the chair!
As with the Easy version complete 6-10 repetitions increasing the number of sets as your strength improves.
The final aspect of balance that controls balance is our Proprioception.
Proprioception
The proprioceptors are the small signallers in our joints which allow us to know where our joints are without us looking at them. It allows us to coordinate our movements and solidifies our balance.
This too can be affected by the ageing process and can also be improved with training and exercise.
There are many exercise options here but I will talk you through the one I like the most.
Tightrope Walk
Start by placing your hands on your hips or your arms out to the sides.
Pick a line on the floor or place a thin band of theraband or string on the floor to use as your runway.
Place one foot on the band or string and then the next foot immediately in front of that foot. Repeat the process completing 10 -15 steps trying your best not to lose your balance as you do so.
To make this exercise more demanding, if you do lose your balance slightly and miss the band or string on the floor. Start again!
Conclusion
Balance does decrease as we age but it can and should be worked on.
It will make daily activities easier such as sitting to standing, walking, carrying items or turning around easier.
By working on your balance you’ll improve your confidence and reduce your risk of injury or falls.
It’s fun too. You’ll notice your strength and coordination improving as you work through the homework that I’ve given you.
As with all training plans you’ll need to commit to doing this regularly. I recommend trying to complete these exercise 3-4 times per week. But you can do them more if you like and your body does not feel too fatigied.
If you’re struggling or would like some individual help you can book a consultation to see me here.
Good luck!
