Balance Exercises

Most of the country seems to be in the grip of a particularly nasty winter. Here in the Black Hills of SD we have been plagued by ice flows that just don’t seem to ever go away. Daytime temperatures have climbed sufficiently to begin the melting process only to be reversed as soon as the sun goes down and those temperatures drop. As a result, one of the most common concerns I hear all winter long is fear of falling. Pretty much everyone I know – myself included – has fallen at least once this winter. It is for this reason that I believe it is extremely important and necessary to include balance exercises as well as strength and flexibility training in any exercise program. As we age, the danger of injury from falls increases. Simple precautions can be taken to minimize the risk of falling, but it is also important to maintain strength and flexibility so that if you do fall, you can recover quickly. Although I try not to take unnecessary risks during the winter, it is difficult to avoid occasional falls. So for me, the fall itself is not nearly as big a concern as doing whatever I can to maintain the ability to get up and keep going.


In the next couple of blog posts I will try to focus on simple exercises that can be done daily to promote balance, strength and flexibility. This post will focus on balance exercises. Here are some simple exercises that anyone can do which will help improve balance.

For each of these exercises, stand behind a chair or table. The first couple of times these exercises are preformed you may need to hold onto the chair /table for support. If you do, try not to grip the support. Gripping drains energy. You want to save all of your energy for maintaining your balance. So just rest your hand lightly for stability and confidence.

Place your feet about hip distance apart (a couple of inches) and plant your feet firmly. Before beginning each exercise make sure that your weight is distributed evenly over both feet and then gradually one foot down by shifting your weight to that foot and releasing the other foot to move freely. When you have completed an exercise on one foot, recheck your alignment and weight distribution before beginning the exercise with the other foot.

Begin by holding each position for a few seconds, gradually working up to 10 seconds. In each case lift and lower slowly, with control. And don’t forget to breathe. Take a deep breath in and slowly release it before each exercise. Controlled breathing will also help you maintain your balance.

Exercise 1:

• Lift one leg slowly six inches out to the side.

• Hold.

• Lower the leg slowly, with control, to starting position

• Repeat 5 times with each leg.

Exercise 2:

• Bend one knee and lift slowly straight up towards your chest. Aim for a position in which your thigh is parallel to the floor and your knee is creating a 90 degree angle between your lower and upper leg.

• Hold.

• Lower the leg slowly.

• Repeat 5 times with each leg.

Exercise 3:

• Lift one leg straight back keeping the knee straight. Height is not important here. Just get your foot up off the ground and try to keep your knee as straight as possible.

• Hold.

• Lower and repeat 5 times with each leg.

Exercise 4:

• Kick one leg forward keeping the knee straight. Lift foot about 6 inches off the floor.

• Hold

• Lower and repeat 5 times with each leg.

Exercise 5:

Walk while placing the heel of one foot just in front of the toe of the other. Do this next to a table or counter so that you can hold on if necessary. Practice until you can walk this way without support. Start with 20 steps. Eventually try walking outside (avoid icy patches!) on uneven surfaces. Hold your arms out in a “T” position at shoulder height to assist with balance. Walk a little bit further each day.

Variation: Find a straight line to walk on. Choose a fixed spot ahead of you to focus on. Place one foot directly in front of the other as you walk. Raise your back leg with each step and hold for 2 seconds, gradually increasing the hold to 5 seconds.

All of these exercises should be performed daily. They will gradually become easier and within a couple of weeks, you should begin to feel more stable. Good luck and feel free to comment if you would like to share your experience or if you know of other good balance exercises that have helped you. You can post a comment on the blog for everyone to see or you can send me an e-mail to peg@custersoapcompany.com. And hang in there – the ice will eventually go away!