Balance is something you build, not something you have

How long can you balance on one leg? If you’re not sure, give it a try right now! Stand up, set a stopwatch, and time how long you can stand on each leg with your hands on your hips, without tapping your toe down. Then see how long you can stand on each leg with your eyes closed! Safety first– step your foot down if you’re going to fall, or stand near a wall just in case you need to catch yourself. Bonus points if you laugh at least once while you do this ;).

Right about now, you may be thinking to yourself, “My balance is so bad!” I hear this at least once per week, often more. We face real obstacles to maintaining our balance as we age, including changes in the inner ear, reduced visual perception, and decreased sensation in the feet and ankles. These changes creep up on us, as changes that start as early as our 30’s usually aren’t noticeable in daily life until our 60’s and beyond. But here’s the thing– you can improve your balance at any age, from any starting point, interrupting this progression so it doesn’t have such an impact on your life or lead to a life-altering fall. Balance is a set of skills, not something you inherently “have or don’t have.”

This short practice is something you can do every day from anywhere in your house, with movements that you can integrate throughout your day as little “balance snacks.” Stay consistent, and you WILL see progress!