balance and serious risks

A subject I have never had mentioned to me by any doctor is balance.

As we get older our balance falls off very sharply. Most people my age[80 in November] can't stand on one leg reliably for a few seconds.

Lack of proper balance is why people in the older age categories fall over so much more and damage themselves greatly in the process.

I won't go into all the reasons for the sharp decline.

After practising balancing exercises as I felt my balance was nowhere near good enough I can now stand on one leg reliably for 20 or 30 seconds, sometimes more.

I no longer hold onto something when putting on or taking off trousers.

I am getting close to be able to do the same reliably with socks.

The exercises are very simple and take little time.

You will find plenty on the Internet but look up Mayo clinic and balance for a good simple set

Do it. It can extend your life and make surgery so much less likely.

Alex

Looks like there is a bunch of different exercises.
This Google search points to all of them.

[fficial&client=firefox-a&channel=rcs" rel="nofollow">www.google.com]
Youtube video's shows you how. Plenty of them.
[www.youtube.com]

Todd,

The problem is so few people in the age group that need them do them.

It would be interesting to do a survey of how many people in our particular group, say over 60 or 65 do such exercises consistently. It may not be zero but it won't be far off.

I did a little mini poll of people I know in the target age group [who would be classed as generally well educated] and I couldn't find a single person.

Alex

Todd,

I had a look at the exercises on YouTube and they are all fine but they generally look as if they are for young athletic people which is also fine but not the age group I am talking about.

It is really very simple .No need to look up anything as a start.

You are in a queue waiting to get cinema tickets and you stand on one leg. No one around will be in the least interested or notice. Do it a few times a day.

Do partial squats on one leg to the extent you can. Again a few times a day.

That's a good start.

With practice you will improve usually quickly.

Alex

My Doc checks my balance every year and am good so far. I do yoga twice a week and I feel
it does improve my balance. And I grew 3/4 of an inch this past Dexa. Yoga is good for
so many things. I am 75 and keep improving in yoga. But slowly and easily.

alexe, Thanks for this.
I'm 76 and never heard of balance exercise or that it could help.

William

Gentlepersons,

I haven't said anything on the subject for a while but thought the current position could indicate something.

I will be 80 in November and when I started some months ago I could stand on one leg for about four seconds which apparently is average or a bit better for my age.

Now I can often manage 20 and sometimes 40 seconds so improvement can be fast.

It is little to do with strength. I was able to chin bars before and lift heavy weights at the gym.

I do them when I am waiting for my cooked fish at the fish and chip shop [low mercury of course and no chips]

Alex