Balance is essential for standing upright; it allows us to walk on uneven ground, cambered pavements, up and downstairs and function on two legs. We stand on our feet all day and demand an enormous amount from them, so it’s essential that they work as best they can.
We often don’t think about our balance; we take it for granted. Balance is straightforward to assess; it starts from being able to stand on one leg. The vast majority of people, when doing this, are very wobbly and have to hold onto something.
When walking, we are momentarily on one leg whilst the other follows through. If you struggle to keep your balance when trying to stand on one leg, consciously thinking about it, imagine what happens to your feet when you are not thinking about them and walking on uneven ground.
If the foundations of your body (your feet) are unstable, the rest of your body will be working hard to try and compensate, often the hips and lower back.
Feet are impressive; they are the main shock absorber of the body. Having strong feet with high arches allows energy to be absorbed into the feet, as opposed to other areas. Like anything in life, practice makes perfect; unless you train your balance, you cannot expect it to be efficient.
We wear shoes most of the time, as crucial as this is, shoes provide scaffolding for the feet, and as wonderful as this sounds, you cannot wear shoes forever.
So when you finally take your shoes off, your feet are weak, soft and expecting to be held up by a lovely pair of shoes. This is noticeable during the transition to warmer months when people ditch their hiking boots for flip-flops or sandals.
Walking barefoot around the house is a great way to strengthen your feet, as well as specific balance exercises.
How to Improve
Now it starts very simply, practising standing on one leg. This doesn’t have to be done for hours at a time; I often tell my patients to practice when the kettle is boiling, so just a few times a day for 10/20 seconds.
With practice, it’s possible to improve pretty quickly; I have patients in their 70s improve in a few weeks. Balance is essential for being a confident, effective walker, as well as strength in the legs. Before improving leg strength, as many people of all ages do, it’s a good idea to enhance your balance first.
Strength and balance are closely related and interlinked; it’s always a good idea to start very simply before doing more complex movements like a squat to improve leg strength. Get confident standing on one leg, this can progress to standing on one leg, whilst the other leg moves around, and then progress into a single leg squat. This is very advanced but entirely possible for most people with a bit of consistent effort.
So if you feel you walk a bit slow or unsteady on your feet or want to improve overall leg strength and mobility, then balance is an excellent place to start. We are experts on movement so if you would like an assessment or a bit of guidance on how to improve your strength, swing past for some well-balanced advice.
If you’re interested, here is a link to more advanced balance exercises
June 17, 2021. Billy Challis, Osteopath