9 Essential Strength and Balance Exercises to Improve Balance and Prevent Falls

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Strength and balance exercises improve our quality of life and the ability to manage our daily routine, besides protecting our joints from injury. Building muscle also helps with better balance and minimizes the risk of falls, allowing us to be independent as we grow older.

While balancing exercises work our core muscles, lower back, and legs, lower-body strength-training exercises improve our balance.

For seniors, especially, aging causes muscle weakness, slower reflexes and balance issues, increasing the risk for falls. This can result in injuries such as fractures or sprains, necessitating hospitalization. According to studies, one in four seniors experiences a fall each year, making it a serious issue.

Some common reasons for falls include:

• Loss of muscle strength
• Poor vision
• Side effects of medication
• Messy or cluttered living spaces
• Lack of physical activity

By incorporating simple strength and balance exercises into daily routines, seniors can improve coordination, leg strength, and flexibility. This helps in preventing falls and maintaining independence.

Just remember that if you have medical conditions or have been inactive for some time, talk to your doctor before starting any vigorous physical activity to find one that suits your needs. If you are at risk for heart disease, you may have to take an exercise stress test to identify any potential problems.

If you feel pain, shortness of breath or dizziness while doing these exercises, stop and talk to your doctor.

When you exercise

• Wear comfortable clothing and supportive footwear. A running or walking shoe is a good option.
• To prevent injury, warm up with 5 minutes of walking or marching on the spot. Take 5 minutes to cool down at the end.
• Hold the back of a stable chair (no wheels) for support.
• Use slow and controlled movements. Remember to breathe slowly. Do not hold your breath.
• Start by doing each exercise at least 5 times, and up to 15 times if you can.

Here are 9 strength and balance exercises

Before you begin these exercises, just make sure you have a stable chair or countertop for support in case you need it. Try to do strength and balance exercises at least 2 days a week.

1.  Arm Raise

These strengthen shoulder muscles.

How to do it

1. Sit straight with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold hand weights, about one or two pounds to begin with, and position your arms straight down at your sides, palms facing inward.
3. Inhale slowly.
4. Now, exhaling slowly, raise both arms to the sides until they are parallel to the ground at shoulder height.
5. Hold for a second.
6. Breathing out slowly, lower your arms back to your sides, straight down, just as you did when you started this exercise.
7. Do 6-8 reps.

Take a 30-second break and do another set of 6-8 reps.

2.  Triceps Extension

The triceps extension strengthens the triceps muscles at the back of the upper arm.

How to do it

1. Begin by sitting straight with feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a hand weight, about one or two pounds, in your left hand and raise your left arm up as far as you can.
3. Bend your arm so that your elbow is pointing to the ceiling with your hand and the weight behind you. Now support your left arm by holding it just below the elbow with your right hand.
4. Slowly straighten your left arm so that your left arm is reaching toward the ceiling. Hold this for a second.
5. Then, slowly bend your elbow to lower the weight behind you. Use your right hand to support your left arm when you do this exercise.
6. After a few seconds, straighten and lower your arm again.
7. Finish one set then switch the weight to your right hand and repeat the steps above, using the left hand to support your right arm.
8. Do 6-8 reps with each arm.

Rest for 30 seconds and do a second set.

3.    Walking Heel-to-Toe

This improves balance, improves coordination and strengthens leg muscles.

How to do it

1. Begin by standing close to a wall for balance.
2. Pick a spot in front of you and focus on it to stay steady as you walk.
3. Walk by placing the heel of one foot just in front of the toes of the other foot. Let your heel and toes almost touch.
4. Do 20 heel-to-toe steps.

4.  Leg Extensions

This strengthens the thigh and leg muscles and improves knee mobility.

How to do it

1. Begin by sitting straight with feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Hold the sides of your seat for support.
2. Exhale and lift one leg off the floor until the knee is straight. When doing this, lift your leg slightly off the chair.
3. Flex your foot to point your toes toward the ceiling.
4. Hold this position for one second.
5. Inhale and slowly lower your leg back down to the starting position with both feet on the floor.
6. Repeat this with the other leg.
7. Do 6-8 reps for each leg.

Rest for 30 seconds and do another set.

5.  Side Leg Raise

The side leg raises strengthen the hips, thighs and butt.

How to do it

1. Begin by standing with your feet slightly apart behind a straight-backed chair and place both hands on the back of the chair for balance.
2. Inhale slowly.
3. Then, exhale and slowly lift your right leg out to the side until your feet are about a foot apart.
4. Keep your back and legs straight with toes pointing forward. Slightly bend the leg you are standing on.
5. Hold this position for a second.
6. Then slowly lower your leg back to the starting position.
7. Do 6-8 reps with each leg.

Rest for 30 seconds and repeat.

6.    Plantar Flex

This strengthens the ankle and calf muscles.

How to do it

1. Begin by standing behind a straight-backed chair, hands resting on the chair’s back for balance. Place feet slightly apart with your upper body straight.
2. Exhaling slowly, lift both heels and stand as high up on tiptoe as possible.
3. Hold for a second.
4. Inhale as you slowly lower your heels to the floor.
5. Do 6-8 reps.
6. Rest for a minute and do another set.
7. Gradually increase it to 15 reps per set.

7.    Hamstring Curl

The hamstring curl stretches the quadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh and strengthens hamstring muscles on the back of the thigh.

How to do it

1. Begin by standing behind a straight-backed chair, feet slightly apart, upper body straight and hands resting on the chair’s back for balance.
2. Shifting your weight onto your right leg, keep your leg slightly bent.
3. Now slowly bend your left knee, keeping both knees together.
4. Inhale slowly and lift your left foot behind you about a foot off the floor. Bend only at the knee.
5. Return to the starting position.
6. Repeat.
7. Finish one set then work the other leg.
8. Aim for 6-8 reps with each leg.

Rest, and repeat.

8.    Standing on One Foot

This improves balance.

How to do it

1. Start by standing close to a wall, a chair or a table for balance.
2. Shift your weight onto one leg.
3. Standing on that foot, stretch the other leg out in front of you a few inches off the floor.
4. Count from 1 to 8.
5. Flex and point your lifted foot for an extra workout. To do this, bend the ankle so that the toes point away from you. Flex the ankle to bring the toes back towards you.
6. Flex and point 8 times.
7. Then return your leg to the starting position.
8. Repeat with the other leg.
9. Aim for 10-15 reps with each leg.

9.  Bicep Curl

The bicep curl strengthens the upper arm muscles.

How to do it

1. Start by sitting straight with feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
2. Holding hand weights of about one or two pounds, keep your arms straight down at your sides.
3. Hold your hands in a comfortable position.
4. It can be palms facing forward with thumbs facing out.  Or palms facing in toward the body and thumbs facing forward. Or palms facing out with thumbs facing back.
5. Keeping elbows close to your sides, slowly bend one arm and lift the weight toward your chest. This should take about 3 seconds.
6. If your palm is facing forward, lift straight up toward your shoulder.
7. If palm is facing in, twist your hand so your palm is facing your shoulder when you lift.
8. If palm is facing out, lift to the side instead of front, toward the outside of your shoulder.
9. Let your wrists be straight.
10. Hold this for one second.
11. Then take 3 seconds to slowly lower your hand and return to the starting position.
12. Pause and repeat the above with the other arm.
13. Do 6-8 reps for each side.

Rest and repeat.

Remember

Strength and balance exercises will get easier as your strength improves and you are ready to do more. If you can do each exercise 15 times, repeat all the exercises a second and even a third time if you can. Increase the time you hold the position, up to 10 seconds. When you feel steady, challenge yourself by holding on to the chair with only one hand. Try one fingertip or no hands as your balance improves.

Fall prevention tips

Along with the above strength and balance exercises, some small changes in your living space can reduce fall prevention risk.

1. Ensure there are no loose rugs in your hallways
2. Add grab bars to your bathrooms and corridors
3. Have good lighting in your living space
4. Wear good-quality non-skid shoes/slippers
5. Get regular eye checkups to catch any issues with your vision

Stay healthy!

Also read: Why walking is the best exercise for women over 50

Why Walking Is the Best Exercise for Women Over 50

 

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