It's normal for balance to deteriorate with age, but doing exercises to help maintain it can go a long way towards prevention. You can practice balance exercises at the gym or even at home. When starting out, make sure to exercise near a wall or a counter so that, if necessary, you can use your hand to regain your balance. You might want to explore the possibility of taking a yoga class since many of these movements improve balance.
A balance exercise
For starters, try walking forward alongside a wall as you use your hand for balance. Look straight ahead. If your balance is poor, then start by making your steps closer together than usual. As your balance improves, try placing one foot directly in front of the other – letting them touch – as you move forward.
Stretching, both before and after exercising, is also very important. Stretching before you exercise helps to increase blood flow and warm up your muscles, while stretching at the end of your session contributes to your flexibility – an important element in managing osteoporosis – and helps prevent sore muscles the next day.
Remember, improving your balance and flexibility helps to reduce your risk of falling.
Examples of stretching exercises
To print all 4 strength-training exercises in an easy to use one-page format, click here.
Ideally, you should do a variety of stretching exercises to work different parts of your body. Over time, you can vary the stretching exercises, and add new ones. Many exercise books have suggestions and illustrations, or you can ask a staff member at your fitness club to suggest new exercises.
