Crystal Hann
health WISE
Crystal Han is a freelance writer and artist. She graduated from San José State
University with a BFA in Animation/Illustration and is an aspiring novelist, currently
working on two books.
Balancing for Better Health
W
hen we were toddlers we had to
master balance first before we
could get where we wanted to
go. In our adult lives balance is just as
important, yet it’s often taken for grant-
ed. Having good balance may not seem
like a big deal, but it’s arguably one of
the most important aspects of good
health and losing it can be dangerous.
We need balance for everything
we do. It gives us control of our bod-
ies so that we can move smoothly and
confidently each day, whether we’re
playing sports, goofing off with our
kids, or simply leaning over to tie our
shoes. Without it we’d be falling all
over the place just like when we were
little, except we’re less likely to bounce
back now that we’re older. Falls put us
at risk of sustaining major injuries like
broken bones and head trauma, which
limit mobility, autonomy, and can lead
to a downward health spiral. After a
bad fall, we might develop a fear of
falling that prevents us from doing the
things we’d normally love to do. When
you consider this, adding balance exer-
cises to your daily routine can be the
best thing you can do for yourself.
Good balance is mainly achieved by
strength training exercises that improve
your stability. Most balance training
exercises work out the muscles of your
legs, glutes, and core. Some exercises,
such as plank in yoga, also work out
your chest and shoulder muscles. In
addition to making you more stable,
strengthening your muscles comes
with a list of other advantages. The
muscles you build will act like a shield
by buffering the impact of a fall. It also
strengthens your bones, making them
more resistant to fractures. Improving
overall strength has been shown to help
with arthritis, painful joints, and back
pain as well.
As we get older, cognition becomes
a big part of balance too. Many of the
exercises for balance training give you
an aerobic workout that helps maintain
brain function, allowing you to think
more clearly and be more aware of your
surroundings. This helps you avoid situ-
ations that increase the risk of falling
and have faster reaction times to keep
yourself upright in the event that you
do lose your balance.
If you’re curious about how good
your balance is, an easy way to test
it is to stand with your feet together
and your ankle bones touching. Try to
hold this position as long as you can
with your arms crossed and your eyes
closed. If you can hold this position for
sixty seconds then you already have a
solid foundation to build on. A slightly
harder test is to stand on one foot with
one knee bent to lift the non-supporting
foot off the ground, preferably next to
a wall or doorway for safety. Close your
eyes and hold this position as long as
possible. People ages sixty or younger
should be able to hold this pose for 29
seconds with their eyes open and 21
seconds with their eye closed to be con-
sidered healthy. For ages 61 and up, it’s
22 seconds eyes open and ten seconds
closed.
The great thing about balance exer-
cises is that they can be as simple as
Sources:
“Good Balance Required Mental and
Physical Fitness”, Harvard Health Publish-
ing, www.health.harvard.edu
Watson, Stephanie, “Balance Training”,
WebMD, www.webmd.com
LeWine, Howard, “Balance Training
seems to Prevent Falls, Injuries in Seniors”,
Harvard Health Publishing, www.health.
harvard.edu
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
FALL/HOLIDAY 2019
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
WINTER 2020
standing on one leg for a few seconds
for beginners or they can be intense,
like some challenging yoga poses.
Regardless of your age or physical fit-
ness level, there are balance exercises
that will suit your needs. Many of them
can even be done at home. Here are
some of the exercises you can do:
• Standing on one foot. You can do this
in any situation where you have to be
standing for a while anyway, such as
while doing the dishes or waiting in line.
• Walking heel to toe. Begin by taking
twenty steps forward heel to toe, like
you’re walking on a tightrope, and then
take twenty steps backwards. You can
stretch your arms out to maintain your
balance if you need to.
• Walk while alternating knee lifts with
every step.
• Do bicep curls while standing on your
tiptoes.
• Use equipment like a Bosu ball,
wobble board, or balance board with an
instructional video.
• Classes that teach Tai Chi or Yoga are
great for balance and muscle control.
• Over time you can improve your bal-
ance by holding the positions for longer,
adding movement to a pose, closing
your eyes, or not using a support.
It’s never too late to start improving
your balance. No matter your age or
fitness level, doing balance exercises
improves your overall energy expendi-
ture, enhances your ability to perform
your favorite activities, and equips you
for unforeseen situations. Start giving
balance the recognition it deserves and
incorporate it into your warm ups or ex-
ercises. Not only will it make you more
graceful, it will protect you.
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