Work on Balance Daily
You should do balancing exercises every day to keep your balance skills intact. Work on balance daily to stay safe from falls and recover from tripping.
After my surgery, part of my rehabilitation consisted of daily balancing exercises – it was very important for me to not fall. As you get older, balance is equally important. My father has a daily balancing program at his assisted-living place. Older people can’t afford to fall – it can harm their hips, break bones, twist the back, cause a concussion – and older people can’t heal as well as when younger.
Every day I stand on one foot (I have a balance pad I stand on that pulls me off balance, so I get an extra workout – It helps me know how to recover if I lose my balance in case I trip or stumble when walking), then the other foot for a minute each. You can brush your teeth while on one foot, then switch the foot. You can try other tasks standing on one foot, like in the above photo – I do this daily too. Start safely and be next to a wall or in a door frame so you can grab something without falling. Work at it and increase the time you stand on one foot. Make sure to switch to the other leg or foot so each side gets the same workout.
I also walk a lot, walk sideways, walk backwards, lean forward and back to see how well I can stay upright, and certainly other balancing exercises as I do my routine as prescribed by physical therapy. I need to work on balance daily. One balancing exercise I have is to stand near but away from a wall, then lean back as far as comfortable, for some seconds (the wall will catch me if I overdo it). Then lean forward but have a counter or dresser to grab if you lose your balance. I also use a broomstick to lean forward, using it to keep my frame straight, and bring one leg up at a time (next to a door jamb so I can make sure to catch it so not to fall). Only do what you safely can and increase a bit more with time – it challenges your balance skills and helps you recover your balance if you trip or step into a hole.
Balance is not only muscles working to hold you or getting strong, but your inner ear vestibular area is what helps you balance. If you work on your balance this area will hopefully keep working for you.
Work on balance daily so you will be less likely to fall, and work strength into many muscles. You will become better at recovering from tripping to hopefully keep you from falling.
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