{"id":2683,"date":"2024-10-29T15:46:12","date_gmt":"2024-10-29T15:46:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ventil.rs\/blog\/life-style\/how-to-look-after-your-balance-and-avoid-falls-later-in-life\/"},"modified":"2024-10-29T15:46:12","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T15:46:12","slug":"how-to-look-after-your-balance-and-avoid-falls-later-in-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ventil.rs\/blog\/life-style\/how-to-look-after-your-balance-and-avoid-falls-later-in-life\/","title":{"rendered":"How to look after your balance and avoid falls later in life"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Having good balance helps prevent falls and makes our daily activities easier to perform, but it is often something we forget about when outlining our fitness goals.<\/p>\n

Improving balance also plays a crucial role in maintaining mobility and independence later in life.<\/p>\n

\u201cBalance<\/a> is essential for moving around, and if your balance worsens, you\u2019ll be less mobile and more likely to become sedentary or chair-bound,\u201d says Tim Allardyce, physiotherapist and osteopath at Surrey Physio<\/a>. \u201cImproving balance will help improve muscle strength, posture and mobility.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we maintain good balance, independence is maintained, and the likelihood of becoming socially isolated reduces.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, why do we struggle more with balance as we age, and what can we do to improve it?<\/p>\n

Why do people struggle with balance more later in life?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople<\/a> struggle with balance later in life for many reasons, due to a gradual deterioration in our physical health,\u201d explains Allardyce. \u201cFor every decade over the age of 30, we lose about 3-5% muscle strength on average.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs our muscles weaken, we have greater difficulty with mobility and balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Poor eyesight can also hinder our balance abilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur eyesight worsens with age, and with poor eyesight comes worsening balance, as we rely on our eyes to provide awareness of where our body is in space,\u201d notes Allardyce.<\/p>\n

In addition, many seniors experience side effects from taking medication such as anti-depressants, blood pressure medications and muscle relaxants, which makes them more unsteady.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany medications have side effects, and 30% of people over the age of 75 take five or more medications,\u201d highlights Allardyce. \u201cMany cause drowsiness, dizziness, and feeling unsteady.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith worsening balance comes higher prevalence of falls,\u201d forewarns Allardyce. \u201cAs we age, our bones weaken too, so a fall can be a severe problem, sometimes fatal if a bad fracture occurs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are a few simple ways to help improve balance later in life\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Individual balance exercises<\/strong><\/p>\n

Samantha Thom, an independent physiotherapist working with KYN<\/a> Bickley care home says that repeating the following exercises on a regular basis, ten times each, will naturally help improve your balance.<\/p>\n

1. Sit to stand<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cSit in your regular chair, ensure your feet are flat on the floor and brought back towards the chair,\u201d instructs Thom. \u201cLean forward slightly and stand up.<\/p>\n

\u201cHold onto your walking aid if needed and stand up straight and ensure the back of your legs are touching the chair, slowly lower yourself back into it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf required, you can use your hands on the arms of the chair to help control this movement, but try to use them as little as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Toe raises<\/strong><\/p>\n