Simple Balance Exercises for Seniors

By Vic

Here are couple simple exercises that senior citizens might consider:

Simple Exercise 1 – Maintaining Your Balance

This exercise requires you to put the right foot in front of the left foot. You should try and make the heel of the right foot touch the front of the left foot. Both feet should be aligned in a straight line. When you are ready and in position, let go of the support you are holding and maintain as much balance as you can for half a minute. If you are afraid of completely letting go of the support, you can always have the tips of your fingers on the support. When you are done, you can repeat the same process but with the left foot in front of the right foot.

There may be times when you are tempted to look at the wall clock, but by looking away, you might find that this shift in weight could make you lose your balance. Since you do not want to be holding a timer, you can have someone else hold a watch and time you……….or you can simply count silently to 30.

Simple Exercise 2 – Retaining Your Ability To Walk 

Balance is all about your feet. For the next exercise, you will keep your right foot flat on the ground while the left foot will only have the toe touching the ground. This is the stance you would have when you are walking. While having no support or just touching the support bar with your fingertips, stand in position for 30 seconds. When you are done you can repeat the same exercise by turning around and switching your feet.

When one looses their balance, they will usually also lose their ability to walk. This is because they did not make use of their leg muscles. Usually this is a more common occurrence to people who have been in a wheel chair for a long time.  With exercise, some of these individuals can build up their leg muscles and then retain the ability to walk and maintain balance.

Simple Exercise 3 – Building Your Leg Muscles

A simple exercise to build leg muscle can be done just by sitting down in a chair. When ready, stretch out one of your legs and point your foot as far as you can.  Repeat the same process for about 15 times.  Then switch the legs and repeat the same process. When you can do the exercise for 15 times without any pain, increase the count to 20. Continue doing so in increments of five.

As time goes on, seniors may find that their body mechanisms start slowing down naturally.  To keep healthy physical fit, the elderly should consider proper nutrition and the right exercises.  For senior citizens, working on exercises for balance should be one of those exercises.  It would be time worth spent.

Source: seniorfitnesssite