Exercises to improve balance

As you age, falling becomes more than just a passing episode barely to be considered; instead, it becomes a serious risk to your health and independence. Here are some simple exercises to improve balance.

Trust us when we tell you that a single fall can be more debilitating than even a heart attack. If you fall and break a hip, for instance, you have a 20 to 30 percent greater risk of dying the following year. If you consider that one out of every three people over 65 fall each year, the scope of the damage is pretty considerable.

Overall, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and disabilities among people 65 and older. Yep, that's right: you're more likely to die from falling in the bathroom than from being in a car accident.

It's simple enough to do:  see how long you can stand on one foot (make sure there's something stable nearby to grab if you feel yourself start to fall), then switch feet. Next, try it with your eyes closed. Which side of your body balanced better? How did you feel when you closed your eyes (thus removing one source of information from your brain and making balancing more difficult). Still think you don't need to learn how to balance better?

No matter what you do — walking, strength training, or specific balance exercises — it will help your balance. One physical activity touted for improving balance is the ancient Chinese martial art called tai chi. Yoga, dance, hiking, and stretching also challenge your sense of balance, as do sports that emphasize side-to-side movement, like badminton, tennis, soccer, and basketball.

• Take walks frequently on natural surfaces rather than paved sidewalks or paths.
• A nature path, with its tree roots and rocks, will naturally challenge your sense of balance.
• The same is true of sand at the beach.

1. Pretend you're balancing a glass of champagne on your head as you shift your hips in a circular motion from right to front and left to back, as if doing the hula.
2. Try not to move your upper body at all.
3. Repeat five times in each direction.

These plastic spheres are ideal for strengthening key parts of your body to prevent falls, and they improve your overall balance as well. Sit on the ball with your feet about hip-width apart on the floor, then do the following exercises.

1. Tighten your core, then try raising your knees together without falling backward. Initially, you might try lifting one knee at a time until your balance improves.
2. Repeat five times with each knee or 10 times if you're lifting both together.

1. Slowly raise one foot, keeping the other on the floor. Try to maintain your balance and stability by tightening your core (abdomen, chest, and back).
2. Count to three, then gently return your foot to the floor and raise the other.
3. Repeat 10 times on each side.
4. As you get better at balancing, increase the amount of time each foot is raised.

Following these simple exercises will help you increase your balance and decrease your risk of falling.