Balance: The key to a stable future
The idea of building a strong body may conjure images of a punishing regime of sit-ups, and there is little more terrifying than trying to imagine ourselves doing endless squats while being barked at by an instructor in a local park. But the truth is that we all need to be looking at ways to keep our bodies healthy and strong – and nothing is more important as we inevitably age than maintaining our ability to balance.
We all associate falls with the ageing process, and the numbers speak for themselves, with a third of people aged 65 and over falling at least once a year.[1] With increased age, sadly the implications of a fall also get progressively worse. So what small changes can we integrate into our routines to lessen our chances of adding to this statistic?
1. Act now - don't defer
The risk with something like our sense of balance is that we don’t recognise we might lose a capability we’ve always taken for granted. The need to preserve this essential skill doesn’t occur to us until we have already noted its decline. So while it is never too late to take action to protect your physical balance, a proactive approach is certainly better than a reactive one. And with that in mind….
2. Get your eyes tested regularly
Eyesight is key to so many things, but we don’t perhaps always make the connection between our vision and our core stability. Somewhat cruelly, it is also yet another thing which gets worse with age, feeding into the cycle of inactivity > worsening balance > lack of physical confidence > inactivity. Let protecting your freedom of movement and independence be just one more reason not to ignore those irritating reminders from Specsavers.
3. Incorporate targeted exercises into your daily routines
The internet is full of useful resources, with many sites outlining specific movements designed to help you maintain and even improve your balance. Often enough just a few simple exercises can be integrated into a daily routine and even combined with other activities – standing on one leg while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil, for example. Although please put both feet on the ground before you pour your cup of tea!
4. Pilates Pilates Pilates
If we know we need to do something to make sure we’re protecting ourselves from muscle weakness and falls in the future, it might as well be something enjoyable. Our brains and our bodies thrive on developing and improving a new skill through practice and repetition, and Pilates is a discipline which offers us a safe and progressive path to enhanced mental and physical agility and strength.
Why not check out my online classes and Pilates video membership to take that decisive step towards a more balanced, strong and stable future?
And to help you with tip #3, here is a guided video of three targeted Pilates-based exercises that you can build into your own routines. Please feel free to share this email and video with your friends and family – and help kickstart their journey too.
I hope to see you on the mat soon!
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/falls-applying-all-our-health/falls-applying-all-our-health