The Importance of Balance
You might be wondering why we talk about balance in a chiropractic clinic. The answer is poor posture and falls.
The Risk of Falls
Having poor balance can increase the risk of falls. In fact, falls are the second leading cause of injury and death worldwide according to WHO. Many of those affected are over 60. As people age their ability to combine data from multiple senses like hearing and feeling, into a single coherent process is impaired. This can lead to poor balance control and an increased risk of falling.
The Impact of Poor Posture
Most of our patients present with back or joint pain. This often leads to postural changes and imbalance.
For example, if you are struggling with pain in your left hip, your body tries to compensate by putting more pressure on the right hand side, particularly the knee joint. If you have back pain and can only sleep on one side it puts pressure on one shoulder. By the time you visit us you may have even forgotten the initial back pain. But when we examine you we identify that balance is better on one side than the other.
When you have good balance you are able to adapt more quickly and react to unexpected pains and situations.
Posture and balance go hand in hand. Many people have sedentary lifestyles. This contributes to poor posture, and reduced mobility in the upper back. This also leads to stiffness in the shoulders and lower back. Doing balance exercises helps to improve posture and counteracts the effects of sitting for long periods.
We encourage anyone over the age of 40 to work on their balance. The better you are at 40, the better you will remain at 60!
How to Improve your Balance
Standing on one leg - this is just a first step
Stand on one leg with your eyes closed - it's surprising how difficult this seems at first without that sensory input
To up the stakes try standing on an unstable surface such as a pillow or foam block
Ramp it up further with Dynamic Balance - Balancing on the Move
March on the spot with high knees
Step ups onto a low step
Side step with a deep bend in the knees - three one way and then three back again
If you have had an injury and realised you are not as stable as you used to be, or notice your balance is deteriorating with age, you need to start focusing on your balance now! Anyone of any age can improve with practice. Remember: you may not realise you are losing your balance until you test it!