As we age, occasional stumbles can become more frequent and concerning. Falls are the leading cause of injury for adults over 65, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fortunately, balance exercises can help reduce the risk of falls and improve overall health and mobility. These exercises enhance stability, coordination, and strength, making daily tasks easier and improving athletic performance.
Why Balance Matters
Balance is crucial for performing daily activities, like walking and climbing stairs. Maintaining balance requires a combination of musculoskeletal strength, motor skills, and vision. As Nicole Glor, fitness instructor and creator of NikkiFitness, explains, the musculoskeletal system weakens and motor skills decline with age, leading to balance issues. However, Lynn Millar, Ph.D., the department chair in physical therapy at Winston-Salem State University, emphasizes that balance is a "use it or lose it" skill that can be maintained through regular activity.
Benefits of Balance Exercises
Incorporating balance exercises into your routine offers numerous benefits:
- Reduces Risk of Falls: Improves stability and coordination, crucial for preventing falls, especially in older adults.
- Enhances Mobility and Flexibility: Stretching and exercises increase flexibility and coordination.
- Strengthens Core and Lower Body: Targets muscles in the core, lower back, and legs.
- Improves Athletic Performance: Provides stability, coordination, and ease of movement for sports.
- Increases Body Awareness: Helps individuals become more aware of their posture and stability.
- Improves Focus: Focusing on balance may also help to focus and clear your mind.
Getting Started with Balance Exercises
Before starting any balance workout, consider these tips from Nicole Glor to ensure safety and effectiveness:
- Find a Spotter: Have a partner spot you or position yourself near a chair or wall for support.
- Wear Supportive Sneakers: Start with sneakers, then progress to barefoot exercises to strengthen foot muscles.
- Find a Focal Point: Secure your gaze on a fixed object to help maintain balance.
- Add Dumbbells Over Time: Begin without weights and gradually add them as you get stronger.
- Consult Your Healthcare Provider: If you have serious balance problems or a condition that affects your bones, joints, or muscles, talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise routine.
Simple Balance Exercises to Do at Home
These exercises are gentle, easy to follow, and can be done at home. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and keep water handy.
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Basic Balance Exercises
- Sideways Step:
- Stand with feet together, knees slightly bent.
- Step sideways in a slow, controlled manner, moving one foot to the side first.
- Move the other foot to join it. Avoid dropping your hips as you step.
- Cross Step:
- Walk sideways by crossing one foot over the other.
- Start by crossing your right foot over your left.
- Bring your left foot to join it.
- Attempt 5 cross-steps on each side. Use a wall for stability if needed.
- Heel-to-Toe Walk:
- Stand upright and place your right heel on the floor directly in front of your left toe.
- Repeat with your left heel.
- Keep looking forward at all times. Use a wall for stability if needed.
- Try to perform at least 5 steps.
- Wall-Assisted Leg Lift:
- Stand facing a wall, with arms outstretched and fingertips touching the wall.
- Lift your left leg, keep your hips level, and maintain a slight bend in the opposite leg.
- Step-Ups:
- Use a step, preferably with a railing or near a wall, for support.
- Step up with your right leg.
- Bring your left leg up to join it.
- Step down again and return to the start position.
- Step up and down slowly and in a controlled manner.
Advanced Balance Exercises
- Stand on One Leg:
- Stand on your right leg and lift your knee to about hip level.
- Hold for five seconds, then progress to 10 seconds.
- Return to start position with both feet on the floor, and then repeat on the other side for one rep.
- Do this movement five times on each side.
- When you can hold the pose for 30 seconds on each side, stand on a less stable surface, such as a couch cushion, a step, or a BOSU ball.
- Lateral Thigh Lift:
- Similar to the step-up move, but instead of lifting your knee in front, straighten your left leg and extend it out to the side while balancing on your right leg.
- Hold for five seconds; when this becomes easy, progress to lifting and lowering the leg five times without setting it down.
- Repeat on the other side and do five reps in total.
- Once you begin to feel stable while doing this move, you can progress to doing it on a step.
- Single-Leg Squat:
- Lift your right leg up to about hip level, keeping your toes pointed down at the floor, then slowly bend your standing left leg until your right toes touch the ground.
- Place your right foot down to stand back up and repeat on the other side.
- Repeat for five reps on each side.
- To progress, work up to performing five single-leg squats in a row on the same side.
- Catch and Hold:
- Standing on one leg, lift your other leg up to about hip level, and then have a partner toss you a light ball or yoga block while you try to catch it.
- Tree Pose:
- Stand upright near a wall or chair and balance on your left leg.
- Lift your right foot to the inside of your inner thigh, calf, or ankle (avoid placing it on your inner knee).
- Press your hands evenly against each other in prayer formation.
- Hold for five long inhales and exhales and repeat on the other side.
- To progress, try closing one or both eyes and lifting your arms overhead.
- High Lunge:
- From standing, bring your hands to your hips and step your right leg back into a lunge, bringing your left leg to a right angle and balancing on the ball of your right foot with your heel off the ground.
- You can lower your back knee down for a modification.
- Keep your hands at your hips or practice extending them towards the sky.
- Hold for five long inhales and exhales, then repeat on the other side.
- Warrior III:
- From a standing position, bring your hands into prayer at your chest.
- Bend your right leg to about hip level.
- Hinge from your hips and kick your right foot back as if you were stamping on a wall behind you, creating a straight line parallel to the floor from your heel to your head.
- Once you find some stability, you can practice extending your hands forward for Warrior III.
- Balancing Half Moon:
- Starting in a high lunge with your right foot extended back, begin to bend into your left knee and tent out your left fingertips.
- Shift forward until you can place your fingertips just beyond the top of your mat or on a yoga block if you can't reach all the way to the floor.
- Lift your right foot off of the mat, keeping your leg straight, as you try to stack your right hip over your left.
- You can do this by rotating your right toes up towards the sky.
- Keep your gaze down at the earth for more stability.
- To progress, gaze up at the sky or remove your right hand from your hip and reach it upwards.
- Hold for five deep inhales and exhales, then repeat on the other side.
Additional Balance Exercises
- Walk the Line (Tandem Stance):
- Stand with your right foot directly in front of your left foot, with the toes of your left foot touching your right heel.
- Move your left foot ahead of your right foot, ending with another heel-to-toe connection.
- Hold for a second or two.
- Repeat the process for five steps (or more) with each foot.
- Single-Leg Stance (Variations):
- Backward Single-Leg Stance: Stand with your feet together. Bend your right knee to raise your right foot behind you. Hold the pose for 10 seconds before returning your foot to the ground. Repeat with your left leg to complete a single set. Do up to three sets.
- Forward Single-Leg Stance: Stand with your feet together. Lift your right leg out in front of your body â knee bent or straight â and hold for 10 seconds while keeping your balance. Return to your starting position and repeat with the opposite leg to complete a single set. Do up to three sets.
- Lateral Single-Leg Stance: Stand with your feet together. Keeping your right leg straight, slowly lift it up and out to the side of your body and hold the position for 10 seconds. Return to your starting position and repeat with the opposite leg to complete a single set. Do up to three sets.
- Rise Up (Toe Raises):
- Stand with your feet together.
- Slowly rise up onto your toes as if youâre trying to peek over a fence.
- Hold the position for three seconds before lowering back down.
- Repeat five to 20 times.
- Sit-Stands:
- Stand in front of a chair, facing away and ready to sit.
- Your knees should be shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly turned out.
- Keeping your knees wide, bend your knees and squat down until your butt is sitting on the chair.
- Sit for a few seconds.
- Push up through your heels to stand up. Keep your back straight.
- Repeat three to five times.
- Step-Ups:
- Stand in front of a step.
- Step onto the step with your right foot and then your left.
- Step back off with your right foot and then your left.
- Repeat 10 times.
- Begin with your left foot and repeat the process.
- Tightrope Walk:
- Tie a piece of string to two poles.
- Hold your arms out wide to the sides.
- Walk on the string without stepping off to the side.
- Walk at least 15 steps.
- Rock the Boat:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Press your weight into both feet firmly and evenly.
- Yield your weight onto your left foot and lift your right foot.
- Hold for up to 30 seconds.
- Slowly lower your left foot to the floor and repeat on the other side.
- Do each side five to 10 times.
- Flamingo Stand:
- Stand on your left leg with your right leg lifted.
- Use a chair or wall for support as you stretch your right leg forward.
- Maintain good posture by keeping your spine, neck, and head in one line.
- To increase the difficulty, extend your hand to reach for your right foot.
- Hold for up to 15 seconds. Then do the opposite side.
- Banded Triplanar Toe Taps:
- Put a resistance band around your lower thighs, just above your knees.
- Come into a single-leg, quarter-squat on your right leg.
- Engage your core and hips muscles.
- Using the resistance of the band, tap your left leg forward, to the side, and straight behind you.
- Do 10 to 20 repetitions.
- Then do the opposite side.
- Single Leg Cross-Body Punches:
- Hold two dumbbells at chest height.
- Yield your weight onto your left foot, coming into a quarter-squat.
- Keeping your left leg strong and stable, punch the weights across your body, one at a time.
- Then do the opposite side.
- Do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 repetitions.
- Paloff Press with Rotation:
- Stand facing a cable machine.
- Using both hands, hold the cable handles at the height of your chest.
- Walk to the right side and extend your arms away from your body.
- Engage your core as you turn away from the machine, maintaining alignment through the center line of your body.
- Keep your arms extended and return to the starting position.
- Then do the opposite side.
- Do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 repetitions.
Balance Exercises for Parkinsonâs Disease
For individuals with Parkinsonâs disease, balance exercises are vital for increasing strength and endurance.
- Chair Leg Raises:
- Sit in a chair with a straight spine and both feet directly under your knees.
- Slowly, straighten your left leg, holding it up for a few seconds.
- Lower it back down and repeat with your right leg.
- Do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 repetitions.
- Side-Stepping:
- From a standing position, step sideways to the right side of the room.
- Lift your knees as high as you can while moving as though youâre stepping over something.
- Then return to the left side of the room.
Balance Exercises with Equipment
The following exercises require the use of an exercise ball or a balance trainer.
- Plank with Elbows on a Stability Ball:
- Come into plank position with your elbows and forearms on a stability ball.
- Engage your core, glutes, and quadriceps to maintain proper alignment.
- Align your shoulders and hips so theyâre square to the floor.
- Hold this position for up to 3 seconds.
- To add variety to this exercise, you can use your elbows to make small circles with the ball in both directions.
- Beach Ball Balance (with a partner):
- Hold a medicine ball while standing on one or both legs on the platform of a Bosu Balance Trainer.
- Have your partner throw a stability ball toward you.
- Use your medicine ball to knock the stability ball back to your partner.
- Do 10 to 20 repetitions.
Core Workout for Balance
A strong core is essential for balance. Here's a 5-minute core workout to improve stability:
- Plank:
- Come onto your hands and knees, opening the hands as wide as the shoulders and the knees as wide as the hips.
- Pull the abs in and step the feet back to come up into a plank position.
- Make sure the shoulders stay over the wrists and be mindful not to round or arch the back.
- Engage the core to keep your back flat.
- Hold for 10 seconds, rest, and repeat for a total of 3 times.
- Pilates Roll Down:
- Sit up on the floor with your back straight, shoulders relaxed and down, and your feet resting in front of you, hips-width apart.
- Bend your knees so that your feet rest flat on the ground.
- Extend both arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height.
- Begin rolling your body back toward the ground slowly, rounding your back and neck.
- Allow your low back to touch the ground first, then your middle back, then your upper back.
- Lie down on the ground and reach the arms overhead.
- Then slowly roll back up to the starting position, first peeling your upper back off the ground, then middle back, and finally the lower back.
- Repeat for 10 reps.
- Bird Dog:
- Start on all fours with your shoulder over your wrists and hips stacked above the knees.
- Straighten your left arm out in front of you and your right leg out behind you, balancing on your opposite hand and knee.
- Hold for a few breaths.
- For an added challenge, bend your left elbow and your right knee in toward each other until they touch underneath your stomach.
- Switch sides and repeat using your right arm and left leg.
- Continue alternating, performing 10 reps on each side.
- Dead Bug:
- Start lying on your back.
- Keep your shoulders and low back flat on the floor as you lift your arms straight toward the sky, above your shoulders.
- Then, lift your legs and bend your knees into a tabletop position, stacked over your hips at a 90-degree angle.
- Exhale, engaging the core, as you slowly lower the opposite arm and leg (left leg and right arm), hovering them above the floor.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the opposite side (right leg and left arm).
- Repeat for 5 repetitions on each side.
- Bridge Pose:
- Start lying on your back.
- Rest your arms straight down at your sides with your palms on the floor and bend your knees so that your ankles are under your knees.
- With your head resting on the floor, slowly raise your hips in the direction of the ceiling by curling up your lower back, middle back and then upper back.
- Once youâre up in the air, take a deep breathe in.
- Then, exhale as you slowly roll down one vertebra at a time.
- Lower your hips back to ground and repeat the exercise 10 times.
Balance Workout
- Single Leg Deadlift:
- Stand tall with your feet as wide as your hips.
- Put your weight into your left leg and come up on to your right toe, using it as a kickstand for balance.
- Begin to hinge at the waist, keeping your left knee soft.
- Place your hands on your hips for balance.
- Continue to hinge forward as you slowly lift your right leg up and back until your body forms a straight line from head to toe.
- If you feel balanced, you can reach your arms down toward the ground.
- Ensure that your hips stay square to the ground.
- Pause, and then return to the starting position.
- Repeat 10 times before switching sides.
- Tree Pose
- Begin standing tall with your back straight. Keep your right foot flat on the ground.
- Bend your left knee and bring the left foot to the inside of your right thigh. Make sure to point your bended knee outward toward the left side of your body.
- Bring your hands in front of your chest in a prayer position and hold for 30 seconds. Then repeat on the other side.
- Warrior III
- Standing with your feet hips-distance apart and your hands on your hips, slowly hinge forward at the hips, lowering your chest toward the ground. At the same time, reach your right leg up and back until it is parallel to the ground.
- Think about reaching your foot toward the back of the room and your head toward the front of the room.
- Reach your arms forward so the biceps are alongside the ears, and reach through the fingertips.
- Hold for 2 breaths, then come back to the starting position and switch sides. Repeat 3 times to each side.
- Plank Shoulder Taps
- Come into a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists.
- Spread your fingers wide.
- Pull your naval in toward your spine and shift your weight to your left hand as you lift your right hand up and tap your left shoulder.
- Place the right hand down and shift your weight to your right hand.
- Tap the left hand to the right shoulder.
- Engage your core to keep you hips level. Repeating for 10 repetitions on each side.
- Backward Lunge Into Knee Lift
- Stand with your feet hips-width apart.
- Step the right foot back into a lunge position.
- Engage your abs and lower your right leg down until your knee almost touches the floor.
- Then return to standing, but instead of bringing your right foot to rest on the ground, pull it up toward your chest, balancing on your left leg.
- Slowly step it back into the backward lunge.
- Repeat 10 times before switching sides.
- Balance Beam Walk
- Balance a book on your head and walk forward with one foot in front of the other, like you're walking on a tightrope. Then walk backward the same way.
- Be sure to step heel-to-toe, so that your right foot is directly in front of your left with the right heel almost touching your left toes.
- Walk in a straight line for five steps forward and then 5 steps backward.
- Repeat 3 times.
- Lateral Shuffle
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and sit your butt back almost into a full squat.
- Take a step to the right with your right foot, and then step the left foot toward the right.
- Take three steps to the right then three steps to the left.
- Repeat this five times for 30 seconds.
- Touchdown Arms With One Leg Balance
- Stand tall with your feet as hips-distance apart.
- Loop a resistance band around your forearms and bring your arms into a goal-post position.
- Then pull your abs in and bring your right knee up so that your thigh is parallel with the ground.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then switch sides.
- Perform 10 repetitions on each side.
- Side Plank
- Start in a plank position.
- Slowly twist your torso toward the left, stacking your feet with the right edge of the right foot on the mat.
- Continue rotating the entire body to the left so that you are balancing on your right hand and the edge of your right foot.
- Keep your legs stacked and reach your left hand straight up toward the ceiling.
- Hold for 10 seconds before switching sides (so that youâre balancing on your left hand and the edge of your left foot.)
- Repeat 3 times total.
- V-Sit
- Start in a seated position with your knees bent and your feet resting on the floor in front of you.
- Engage your core muscles and gently lean back a couple of inches.
- Slowly lift your legs up in the air so that they are in a table-top position.
- Reach your arms straight out in front of you so that they are parallel to the ground.
- Keeping your core engaged, extend the legs straight up at a 45-degree angle into a âVâ position.
- Hold this âVâ position with the shoulders relaxed, abs pulled in and inner thighs squeezing together for 10 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times.
Incorporating Balance Exercises into Daily Life
Balance exercises are appropriate for all ages and fitness levels. Incorporate them into your daily routine in creative ways:
- While Brushing Your Teeth: Practice standing on one foot.
- Throughout the Day: Remain aware of your posture and stability. Notice if youâre yielding your weight evenly on both feet and work to root your weight into your feet.
- Walking: Pay attention to whether you tend to yield your body weight forward or backward in space. Try to bring your body into proper alignment and feel a strong connection to the floor.
- Balance Training: Strengthening these muscles helps to improve our overall body mechanics, allowing us to move more efficiently and reducing risk of pain and injury.
Additional Activities to Improve Balance
- Yoga: Improves balance, strength, and flexibility.
- Tai Chi: Gentle movement training that improves balance and lowers the risk of falls.
- Walking: Helps with balance as it keeps you on your feet and moving.
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