7 Balance Exercises for Seniors
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These Exercises Can Help Seniors Maintain Their Balance
Falling is one of the primary causes of injury and death in Seniors according to the Centers for Disease Control. One of the main reasons Seniors experience falls is that their balance has declined. While some of this is beyond our control, there are exercises Seniors can do to help maintain and strengthen their balance. Here are 7 Senior Balance Exercises you can perform at home with no special equipment needed.
Balance Exercises for Seniors
As always, safety is the most important thing when exercising. So if you need to, use a cane or a piece of sturdy furniture to help stabilize you. Aim for slow and steady progress rather than trying to work miracles right away. Try to do each exercise 3 times each session.
Leg Tap
Stand at the bottom of a flight of stairs or in front of a piece of low furniture. If necessary, hold a railing or piece of furniture for support. Stand straight up with your feet shoulder width apart. Lift your right leg and slowly tap the stair then slowing lower it back to the ground. Repeat 12-15 times then repeat with your left leg.
Marching in Place
Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. If necessary, hold on to a chair to help with balance. Lift your right leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor (it’s ok if you can’t go that high). Slowly return your leg to the ground and repeat with your left leg. Repeat 20 times.
Rock the Boat
Stand up straight holding onto a chair for balance if needed. Shift your weight onto your right foot and lift your left leg in front of you. Hold for 30 seconds (it’s ok if you can’t do 30 seconds). Slowly lower your left leg back down and repeat on the other side. Repeat 7-10 times.
Variation: Instead of lifting your let straight up, keep your leg straight and lift it out to the side.
Sit to Stand
Stand in front of a chair with your back facing the chair. Slowly sit down on the chair. Pause and then stand up in a controlled manner – try not to use ‘momentum’ from swinging your arms or upper body. Repeat 12-15 times (don’t feel bad if your can’t do 12 to start with)
Head Rotation
Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Slowly rotate your head to one side, pause, and then slowly rotate to the other side. Return your head to center, then slowly tilt your head to ‘look up’. Pause then slowly lower your chin to ‘look down’. Return to center. Repeat the sequence for 30 seconds.
Clock Reach
Stand next to a chair to hold for support. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Raise your right arm so it’s pointing straight ahead (at the ’12 o’clock position’). Shift your weight to your left foot and raise your right foot off the ground. Slowly move your right arm to the right so it’s pointing straight to the right (at the ‘3 o’clock position’). Pause then move your arm so it’s pointing directly behind you (at the ‘6 o’clock position’) – or as far as you’re able to reach. Reverse the movement – point to the 3 o’clock position and return to the 12 o’clock position. Perform the exercise on your left side, pointing to the 9 o’clock position instead of 3 o’clock. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times.
Maintain Your Balance as YouAge
Good balance is one of the most important skills we can retain as we age. Balance allows us to maintain our independence and freedom – and avoid injuries. Taking a pro-active approach by performing Balance Exercises can help you blunt the effects of aging on your balance.
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Additional Resources for Senior Exercise & Fitness Advice
Unfortunately, there are a lot of web sites out there giving unreliable fitness advice. But there are also some great ones which we rely on when writing our articles. A few great resources for information you may want to also check out include the National Institutes on Aging and AARP’s “Healthy Living” website.