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Balance Exercises

I just saw this great article in Parade Magazine about how to improve your balance. My yoga teacher always taught us balance is something that has to be practiced otherwise your ability to balance will decrease. Now this article quotes research that suggests improving your balance is one the best ways to prevent fractures. A large scale study done in Sweden has revealed that impaired balance tripled the risk of hip fractures in older patients. It also doubled the risk of other fractures. The researchers calculated that 37% of all hip fractures could be prevented if patients had better balance.

So here are some exercises to help you to increase your ability to balance. One of the simplest ways to practice balance is by standing on one leg. If you are just beginning to practice standing on one leg, start by holding onto the back of a chair with one hand and balancing for 15 seconds before switching sides. When you have mastered that, try to stand on one leg without using the chair. Just bend the leg back you are not using to stand on in other words your leg will form a backwards L. Your shin will be parallel to the floor.

The article suggests focusing on centering you body. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart and weight evenly distributed to center your body. If you want to move your balance exercise to a higher level, try closing your eyes while you balance. Once you feel you have mastered these exercises try a beginning yoga DVD or purchase a book of simple yoga poses. Don’t worry no one expects you to turn yourself into a pretzel. You may have to look a bit but simple yoga exercises which will help improve your balance even further are out there.

If you want to learn more about the benefits of exercise see our post on How Exercise Can Lift Your Mood

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