What are the causes of balance problems in older people?
Balance problems are one of the main reasons why older people often fall. They are often no longer able to control and maintain their body position, whether they are walking, climbing stairs, standing or even sitting still.
Balance problems can be life-threatening for older people. They increase the risk of falling, which in turn increases the risk of fatal injuries in people over the age of 65. Here are some causes of balance problems in seniors
Health problems
Diseases such as strokeear infections, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and orthostatic hypotension can affect the balance of older people.
Dehydration
It can lead to fatigue in the body, which reduces muscle efficiency. This in turn leads to reduced sensitivity of muscle proprioception, which affects balance.
Anxiety and panic attacks
These can also lead to a loss of balance.
Low blood pressure
It causes dizziness, weakness and fainting, all factors that increase the risk of injury in the event of a fall.
Peripheral neuropathy
Damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord often leads to weakness, numbness and pain. pain in the hands and feet. This also leads to difficulty walking and impaired balance.
Vision problems
As you get older, your eyesight deteriorates and if you cannot see where you are going or what is in front of you, you are at risk of falling over.
Neurological problems
Some neurological problems such as cervical spondylosis and Parkinson's disease lead to balance problems.
Balance training exercises for seniors
Balance training can also be referred to as gait training. It is a form of physiotherapy that can help to improve the standing and walking ability of senior citizens and people who are no longer able to move around due to illness or injury.
Physical therapy participants may also need to use assistive devices such as crutches, wheeled or standard walkers, quad and standard canes to help them walk better. Some exercises to train balance and gait are:
- Range of motion exercises. They help the injured person to regain and maintain the normal range of movement of their joints.
- Strength training for the lower body. A weak lower body impairs balance, mobility and coordination and can lead to falls. Exercises such as mini squats, step-ups and quad bends can help here.
- Retro-walking, also known as walking backwards, is also a fantastic option for balance and coordination exercises for seniors. It promotes flexibility, stride length and step length as well as activating the quadriceps.
Exercise that you can use. You can use either static or dynamic balance exercises for seniors.
Dynamic exercises or stretches are active movements in which joints and muscles go through a full range of motion. Static balance exercises for seniors, on the other hand, involve stretching the muscles and holding them for a certain period of time.
In this list, we have included both dynamic and static balance exercises for seniors that they can do from the comfort of their own home.
Tai Chi
Most people think of Tai Chi as a self-defense technique or a form of meditation in motion. Both are true, but this ancient Chinese tradition is also good for general health and can be used as a gentle workout for muscle control, stability, balance and flexibility in older people.
One study has shown that this training not only improves balance, stability and flexibility in older people, but can also help to relieve pain, particularly in cases of knee osteoarthritis, back problems and fibromyalgia (8). Another study from 2017 found that this form of exercise can prevent falls in older people by up to 50 percent.
Another controlled study from 2018 showed that tai chi helps to reduce the fear of falling, which in itself is a risk for falls Here are three Tai Chi moves that can promote balance and flexibility in seniors.
One-legged balance
Hold on to the back of a chair or counter. Balance on one leg for 30 seconds, then on the other for up to one minute on each side.
If this is easy for you, support yourself with just one hand or just your fingertips or let your hands hover five centimeters above the back of the chair or the counter.
The windmill
Start by standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Relax your shoulders and let your arms hang loosely at your sides.
Breathe in and raise your arms above your head.
Stretch towards the ceiling and bend your back slightly.
Breathe out, slowly bend towards the floor and bring your hands down to the center of your body.
Bend forward at the hips and let your arms hang loosely in front of you.
Breathe in and return to the standing starting position.
Side-by-side warm-up
Start by standing slightly wider than hip-width apart and bend your knees slightly.
Slowly shift your weight from left to right. Your arms should rest on your hips, but you can also let them hang at your sides. If you feel that you might fall over, you can also support yourself with your hands on the back of a chair.
Shift your weight slowly and in a controlled manner onto one leg, shifting about 70 percent of your weight onto this leg. Then switch to the other leg.
Repeat the exercise at least 3 times.
Rock The Boat
Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart.
Make sure that you shift your weight firmly and evenly onto both feet.
Shift all your weight onto your left foot and slowly lift your right foot.
Hold the position for up to 30 seconds. If you can't hold it for 30 seconds, try 5 seconds and slowly work your way up to 30 seconds over a few days.
Slowly lower your left foot to the floor and repeat the exercise on the other side.
Perform the exercise five to 10 times on each leg.
Seated bike crunches
Crunches are often used to reduce belly fat and sculpt abdominal muscles. However, most people don't realize that strong core muscles not only improve posture and reduce stress and lower back pain, but also stabilize balance.
Seated crunches are a simpler version of the original bicycle crunches. They are a fantastic exercise to improve balance for seniors. Here's how to do them:
Sit on a stable chair.
Get into a comfortable sitting position, holding on to the chair with your hands for extra support.
Raise both legs and bend your knees. Make a cycling movement with your legs.
Perform this movement ten times with each leg.
Heel-toe walking
Although this exercise is often used for children, with a slight modification it is also ideal as a balance and coordination exercise for senior citizens.
Start in the kitchen and hold on to a worktop.
Simply place one foot in front of the other and walk from heel to heel until you have no more space on the worktop.
Repeat this up to 10 times.
Leg swing
Stand on your right leg and lift your left leg three to six centimeters off the floor.
Swing your left leg forwards and backwards with your arms at your sides, touching the floor to keep your balance and keeping your upper body upright.
Once you have got the hang of it, repeat the movements, but don't let your foot touch the floor. Swing your left foot to the left side while keeping your right arm outstretched.
Change legs and repeat the exercise.
Standing lifting of the rear legs
Standing leg raises train your mobility and flexibility and are therefore a good balance and coordination exercise for seniors.
Stand upright and hold on to the back of a stable object such as a chair or support yourself with your hands on a wall.
Raise one leg, push it straight back and tense your gluteal muscles.
Hold your breath for 3 to 5 breaths and then slowly lower your leg back to the starting position.
Start standing and hold a chair with your left hand. Imagine a clock with 12 o'clock in front of you and 6 o'clock behind you.
Stand on your left leg, bring your right arm to 12 o'clock and stretch it to your side at 3 o'clock and backwards at 6 o'clock. Repeat the exercise with the other side.
Alternating walking with the gaze
Start at one end of the room and place your feet hip-width apart.
Look over your right shoulder and take four or five steps forward while maintaining this head position. Pause and turn your head to look over your left shoulder.
Then take another four or five steps.
Repeat this five times on each side.
For a more challenging exercise, hold a weight against your chest during the exercise.
Squats
Younger people can use this exercise to tone their glutes, but squats are beneficial for older people as they can help them maintain their balance and strength. They allow them to strengthen their knees, calves and glutes and make them more flexible.
Start with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward.
Bend your body slightly forward and tense your abdominal muscles while bending your knees as if you were sitting down.
Hold this position for about five seconds and then straighten up again to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise eight to 10 times.
To avoid falling over, hold on to a stable object, e.g. a table or a wall.
Squats
They are also good for balance and mobility in older people.
Start by standing upright with your feet hip-width apart and your toes pointing forwards.
Take a big step forward while bending your back knee towards the floor without touching it.
Use your front leg to push yourself back into the starting position. If you need a little help, support yourself with one hand on the wall.
Repeat this movement up to 12 times on each leg.
Yoga
Like Tai Chi, yoga is a fantastic and gentle workout that can easily be done by seniors. Here are some balance exercises for seniors using yoga poses.
Downward facing dog - This is a simple variation using a chair. While the downward facing dog is often performed all the way to the ground, using a chair is better for anyone who finds it harder to get to the ground.
Stand facing the base of the chair. Breathe in and raise your arms above your head.
Breathe out and place your hands on the sole of the chair. If you cannot reach the back of the chair, bend your knees slightly.
Slowly walk your feet backwards and lift your hips until you drop into the dog position (your body should form a triangle).
To get out of the pose, slowly walk your feet forward until your body is in a forward fold. Roll your body upwards, vertebra by vertebra, to return to a standing position.
Older people who have problems with their wrists can modify this movement further and perform the forearm dog instead.
Start on your hands and knees. The wrists should be under the shoulders and the knees under the hips.
Inhale as you slide your toes under your heels. Then lift your hips as you exhale and come into downward-facing dog.
Spread your fingers and lower your forearms onto the mat. Make sure that you form a straight line between your elbows and middle fingers. Try to straighten your legs and lower your heels as far as possible towards the floor. Your heels should be slightly wider than your toes so that the outer edges of your feet are parallel to the outer edges of the mat.
Place your head relaxed between your arms and look through your legs or up towards your navel. Hold the position for five breaths.
Tree position
This posture is not only good for balance, but also trains the core and leg muscles, opens the hips and stretches the inner thighs and groin muscles.
Start by standing upright and firmly on the floor or on an exercise mat. Make sure that your weight is evenly distributed on all four corners of each foot.
Shift your weight from one foot to the other and lift one leg slightly. Make sure that the leg that is on the floor and supporting your weight does not lock in the knee.
Bend the raised leg at the knee and bring the sole of this foot up onto the inner thigh of the other leg.
Press the foot into the thigh and the thigh back into the foot with the same pressure.
Do not look down. Instead, focus your gaze on something that is not moving in the distance. This will ensure that you can keep your balance without falling over.
Stay in this position for 5 to 10 breaths before lowering your leg and switching to the other side.
Mountain pose
Also known as Tadasana, this is a great yoga pose that can promote balance and coordination for seniors. This pose improves posture, strengthens the thighs, knees and ankles, tones the abdomen and buttocks, relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet.
Stand up straight with your feet together, keep your shoulders back, your neck firm and straight, and tilt your chin slightly downwards.
Place your arms at your sides with your palms facing forward.
Tense your thigh muscles, lift your kneecaps and imagine a straight line connecting your pelvis to the top of your head.
Connect with the ground beneath your feet.
The quintessence
Balance exercises for seniors don't just have to be suitable for older people. Children, teenagers, young adults and even athletes can also benefit from these exercises, albeit at different intensities and with adaptations for each group. If you have an elderly caregiver, parent or neighbor who is constantly falling, please recommend some of the above balance exercises for seniors to them. However, make sure they see a doctor first and work with a trainer to avoid injury.
