A Balanced Life
Balanced!
Twice a day, you will find me in sweatpants with a toothbrush in my mouth, doing my best flamingo impression. It is not pretty. They do not call me graceful or nimble. I need to hang onto something when threading one leg into my pants and cling to a tree when hiking down a steep slope. So the idea of improving my one-legged stance during an activity I do every day anyway, appealed to me.
Every day, I work with patients who fracture bones after a fall. In their case, it is often the inability to catch themselves after tripping on something. Taking a fall is a leading cause of injury and injury-related death for older adults. As we age, we notice limitations in our sense of proprioception, our reaction time, as well as our strength. Even multi-tasking can be a problem. In addition, the fear of falling is one significant contributor to fall risk. This might not seem important now as a younger or in middle aged person, but why wait to start perfecting your Tree Pose?
Single-leg balancing to be a strong indicator of age-related decline. The ability to balance declines more rapidly with age than other measures such as knee or grip strength. Being able to balance for 30 seconds or longer, however, is a sign that things are going well.
How long can you balance on one leg? And the other one? If it’s barely seconds before the wobbles kick in, it’s time to get practicing!
Balance practice is a habit that’s easy to add to your daily routine:
- Balance on one leg then the other while you are brushing your teeth.
- Close your eyes while standing to listen to your favorite music or birdsong
- Strengthen your core muscles, lower back, and legs
- Place a bean bag (other non-breakable object) on top of your head and walk a lap around the house
- Practice heal-to-toe walking every time you head to the bathroom
- Sit on a balance ball when working or watching TV
- Practice hiking or walking on uneven surfaces
- For more advanced- Consider trying Tai Chi, Qi Gong or yoga class online or in person
- Explore your local playground and act like a kid again
- Most importantly- have fun!
It’s been a long winter with ice and snow. I went for a walk last night realizing it’s been a long time since I’ve been out in nature. Where my husband and dog seem to hop nimbly over ice patches, I’ve worried about slipping and not being able to catch my balance. There is always something to work on!
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Wishing you Well,
-Trish
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