Every 42 seconds, an elder Canadian is treated for a fall-related injury. Though the falls are not completely preventable, yet there are things that almost everyone over the age of 50 can do to reduce the chances of a fall or disbalance. Older adults can improve balance and strengthen muscles with the help of certain specialized exercises.
A variety of balance exercises may be done with the comfort of your usual surroundings, with little or no preparation. Whether you are planning to visit a post-acute care facility or you’re receiving home health care, doing daily balance exercises may help you keep strong on your feet.
Here are the three easy and quick balance physiotherapy exercises that seniors or elderly people can do at home:
- Single-Leg Stance
- Narrow Stance
- Controlled Foot Placement
Single-Leg Stance
A sturdy kitchen chair is required for this exercise. You need to situate the chair in the center of the room, with the seat facing opposite to you. Then stand with just your feet together and keep your knees relaxed and loose so that you feel comfortable. Now place both your hands on the back of the chair for maintaining balance. After that slowly lift your right leg to the right upwards, so that you can balance on your left leg. Hold on this position for 10-15 seconds. Then repeat the same steps with the left leg. Do a set of a minimum of 10 lifts per leg.
Purpose: Ultimately, you must be able to hold this pose for as close as for 30 seconds. If you feel sufficient stability, then you can try without the chair for a few seconds during your exercise. However, in case you can do leg lifts without proper aid, it is still advised to keep the chair closer and handy if you are required to lean on something.
Narrow Stance Training
The best thing about this training is that you can perform it anywhere. It aims to train your body using trunk stability muscles so that your balance is stable.
For this, you are required to Place one foot in front of the other, you can use support at the beginning! Then just hold this position for 10-30 seconds more maintaining good balance. After this, you are supposed to look straight ahead of you and make it more advanced by standing on your feet in a narrower position (one foot in front of the other, also known as ‘tandem stance’).
This is useful coordination and balance exercise.
Purpose: The best thing about this training is that you can perform it anywhere. It aims to train your body using trunk stability muscles so that your balance is stable.
Controlled Foot Taps
Also known as stair taps and cone taps, this exercise helps in maintaining your stability at the time of performing foot taps to a surface or step.
To perform this, you need to stand straight with a tall posture, then tap a step after lifting one foot. Now repeat the movement and focus on the same spot each time. You may also perform this exercise by touching certain points on a flat surface. You just need to aim to tap the same spot, as in a point between the two kitchen tiles.
Purpose: This version of the exercise is beneficial in burning calories, targeting your lower body muscles, raising your heart rate, and improving balance, speed, and foot-handling skills.
Balancing every aspect of your life is always necessary, be it your lifestyle or body. Health is the primary factor while trying to balance your life. Balance Physiotherapy services are offered by PhysioExperts in Ottawa. Now, as we are talking about balancing, then why shouldn’t we begin the improvement in the balance of our body by practising some easy yet beneficial workouts?
PhysioExperts is your physiotherapy and rehabilitation centre in Ottawa.
We provide solutions for various causes of musculoskeletal pain (jerking movements, auto accidents, falls, fractures, sprains, dislocations, and direct blows to the muscle).
Our focus on the multi-disciplinary approach for our patients helps us to give our patients every possible treatment and to help them recover from pain rapidly and effectively. We specialize in sports injury physiotherapy.
We not only help relieve your pain and trauma but also, we assist you with the love and affection you deserve.