Build your muscles to improve your balance and avoid falls with simple Exercises
Every year, one in three people over age 65 will experience a fall. This alarming statistic comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reports that falls can often become life-threatening injuries for seniors.
Beyond the physical injuries to our bones and muscles, experiencing a fall can cause emotional injuries, too. Once you’ve experienced a fall, you can be afraid of the next fall, and this can cause seniors to limit their activities, which can impact social life and overall well being. The less active you become, the more your muscles will lose their strength, thus increasing the likelihood of a future fall.
To end this negative feedback loop, Harvard University’s Health Publishing offers three simple exercises that anyone can do to improve their sense of balance and hopefully prevent falls before they happen.
As with all new workout plans, check with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe. Many health conditions make it difficult to exercise safely, and all workouts should be done under the supervision of a professional trainer or physical therapist.
Check out these balance-improving exercises:
Heel raises
Stand up straight behind a chair, holding the back with both hands. Position your feet hip-width apart. Lift up on your toes. Hold. Lower your heels to the floor. Repeat ten times.
Standing hamstring curls
Stand up straight behind a chair, holding the back with both hands. Extend your right leg behind you with your toes touching the floor. Bend your right knee and try to bring the heel to your right buttock. Hold. Slowly lower your foot to the floor. Repeat ten times on each leg.
Standing side leg lift
Stand up straight behind a chair, holding the back with both hands. Slowly lift your right leg straight out to the side about six inches off the floor. Hold. Return to starting position. Repeat ten times on each side.
By adding strength to your leg muscles, you’ll begin to feel more stable on your feet. This sense of stability will help you prevent falls and make it easier to stay active, and staying active is a key ingredient to a healthy and rewarding lifestyle.
