15 Balance Exercises for Seniors to Regain Balance

A few exercises a day keep all the mobility-related issues away!!

Exercise is an important part of our lives, and with age, it becomes more important and necessary to practice. The elderly go through so many health and mobility issues that make them prone to losing balance. So, we are here to introduce you to some of the easy-to-practice balancing exercises for seniors. 

Read this article to learn and understand about balance exercises for elderly.

Need for Balance Exercises for Seniors

As people age, their physical activities get limited, and incorporating exercises into daily routines is the way to fix this. Here are some of the important reasons why there is a need for balance exercises for seniors:

1. Aging leads to depression in some and a few studies show that those who are involved in some sort of physical activity are relatively happier and less depressed.
2. When a person works out more, they are said to have a longer span of life.
3. Balance exercises for the elderly also help in improving thinking abilities. When someone involves themselves in physical activities, they are providing their brain with a positive response.
4. When one is involved in doing a lot of physical activities, they in turn are even more protected from all lifestyle diseases.
5. Life is all about ups and downs, and research shows that doing balance exercises for the elderly prepares them to cope with difficult situations.

Balance Exercises for the Elderly

Balancing exercises for seniors are those exercises that help them strengthen their core muscles and in all keep them upright, which further prevents them from falling. We have combined a total of 15 easy-to-do, balance exercises for elderly.

DISCLAIMER ❗If you are someone with severe back and other joint issues, consult your Orthopedic doctor first before doing these exercises. Practicing any sort of exercise without consulting your physiotherapist or doctor could further worsen your pain.

Targets:  Enhances brain and body coordination.

Method:

1. Stand at the end of a hallway.
2. Look over one shoulder, and start walking 5 steps.
3. Then switch the side of the shoulder, and walk for another 5 steps.
4. Perform this 5 times on each side. 

Targets:  Strengthen hips and lower back.

Method:

1. Take a chair for support, and stand behind it.
2. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Lift your left leg straight up from the backside.
4. Hold that position for a few seconds, then slowly bring your leg back down.
5. Then do the same with your right leg.
6. Repeat this 10–15 times on each side.

Targets: Enhances physical coordination.

Method:

1. Hold onto a chair.
2. Stand with your feet together, with arms on your side.
3. Gently lift your left arm over your head with your left foot off the ground.
4. Repeat the same on the right side.
5. Perform this 15 times on each side.

Targets: Great cardio and improves the body’s stability.

Method:

1. Stand straight and lift your left knee as high as you can.
2. Slowly lower it, and do the same with the right leg.
3. Repeat this 20 times with alternative legs. 

Targets:  Facilitates better posture and relieves tension in the shoulder area.

Method:

1. Sit on a chair or bed.
2. Move your shoulders in a clockwise direction.
3. Do the same, in an anti-clockwise direction.
4. Repeat the whole process 5 times.

Targets: Strengthen your ankle, so you can have a good maintained balance.

Method:

1. Use a chair to stand straight, and put your arms in front.
2. Using your toes, raise yourself as high as you can. 
3. Don’t lean too much forward.
4. Now gently lower yourself back down.
5. Repeat this 20 times.

Targets: Increases mobility in the neck region, which ultimately helps with balance and posture.

Method:

1. Move your head gently from side to side, as well as up and down.
2. Hold onto a wall, if needed.
3. Do this for 30 seconds, then stop and repeat it.
4. If you feel dizzy, stop.

Targets: Stabilizes your core and builds your hip muscles.

Method:

1. You need to use a chair or counter for support.
2. Gently lift your left foot off the floor, while holding the spine of the chair.
3. Your knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle.
4. Hold your position for 10 seconds.
5. Now repeat with your other foot.
6. On each foot, repeat it 10 to 15 times.

Targets: Strengthens the leg and foot muscles. 

Method:

1. While walking in a straight line, simply put your heel first on the ground.
2. Then shift your weight on your toes.
3. Walk like this for 20 steps.

Targets: Strengthen your hip muscles, and help to maintain balance. 

Method:

1. Use a chair for support, stand behind it.
2. Ensure that your back is straight and look in front.
3. Gently lift your right leg to one side.
4. Now slowly lower your right leg, and do the same on the left leg.
5. Repeat 10–15 times on each leg.

Targets: To strengthen lower body muscles. 

Method:

1. Stand on the side of a chair and put your hands on it.
2. Now put your left foot forward, while your knees bend over.
3. Try to lower your body, in a way your left thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. Hold for 30 seconds, and resume back into the standing position.
5. Now do the same with your right foot.
6. Repeat 5–10 times on each leg. 

Targets: It activates muscles which can increase flexibility and motion.

Method:

1. Sit on the floor or a bed, and get a towel.
2. Wrap the towel around the side of your left foot.
3. Hold both ends of the towel, and pull it towards you.
4. Hold your leg up for 15–20 seconds and ensure that your knee is straight.
5. Do it 2 to 4 times, on each leg.

Targets: A great exercise for improving balance and core strength.

Method:

1. For this, you require a tape to draw a straight line.
2. Mark the ends of the straight line, A and B.
3. Now, stand at A and walk towards B.
4. Walk slowly with your arms extended out to the side.
5. Ensure that your feet don’t step out of the line.
6. Count to 5 before each step, and walk from heel to toe.

Targets: Improves core stability.

Method:

1. Lay down on the floor or some hard surface.
2. Gently stretch both your arms up in the air with your legs bent at a 90–degree angle.
3. Now, pull your right arm over your head with your right leg wide-straight.
4. Resume to the initial position.
5. Then do the same with your left leg and arm.
6. Repeat 10 times on each side.

What Leads to Poor Balance in Seniors?

As people grow older, so many health issues keep happening, and these issues in some way become a reason for poor balance in elders. Some of the common reasons for poor balance in seniors are:

1. Poor Blood Circulation (BP Issues) – When a body becomes older, the flow of blood through veins reduces, which results in immediate changes to the blood pressure. However, if you lose your balance due to this condition, you may be able to recover after a few seconds.
2. Oxygen Deficiency – The lack of blood circulation leads to a deficiency of oxygen in the body. As blood doesn’t move quickly towards the vital organs, especially the brain.
3. Neurological Issues – People with neurological conditions can also suffer from poor balance. It’s the early symptom of an underlying neurological condition, consult a neurologist as soon as possible to understand better about it.
4. Medication Side Effects – If you have recently started a new medication and balance issues have started surfacing, we suggest you consult your doctor. Certain pain-relieving and other medications like Tramadol can cause problems in balancing, so we recommend you to observe these side effects and rush to the doctor. 
5. Iron Deficiency – Iron is a very essential vitamin that our body needs to function. Low iron levels, or in other words, an iron deficiency, can cause you to have poor balance.
6. Diabetes – If you are diabetic and require taking insulin, be careful with taking your medicine on time, as it can also be a big factor behind poor balance in the elderly.

Even if someone doesn’t have issues with balance or any mobility-related issues, it is still important to start doing exercises for balance for seniors.

Tips to Remember while Doing Exercises For Balance for Seniors

When it comes to balance exercises for seniors, one needs to be extra careful and alert. Thus, we have come up with some useful tips to elevate the exercise experience.

Here are some tips to follow while performing exercises for balance for seniors!

1. Be very gentle in doing any exercise.
2. Drink water in intervals while exercising.
3. Start every exercise with your dominant leg.
4. Identify and mark a point in the room, and keep your focus on that particular point when exercising.
5. Distribute your weight evenly on both legs.
6. Make sure your back is always straight.
7. If you don’t feel fine, stop exercising and take some rest.

Take precautions rather than cure!

The best thing about balancing exercises for seniors is that you can perform them anywhere, be it at your house, or a local gym. Remember the tips mentioned above while exercising, as they’ll make your workout more fruitful.

Keep visiting us, for more such effortless exercises!