As we grow older, our balance becomes poor. It takes a child six years to be able to balance on one leg for up to 10 seconds, hop on one foot, albeit clumsily, or learn how to ride a bicycle without training wheels. It takes longer to master standing on one leg with the other leg pointing behind and lifted high in the air, or to be able to twist and swivel while pitching a baseball.
The definition of having good balance is the ability to move or remain in a position without losing control or falling. During this process the brain learns to control the different parts of the body, the timing of each movement and its relationship to the rest of the body. So what we call balance is the successful outcome of continuous, highly dynamic and complex brain activity. In fact, balance is not a thing, there is nowhere that balance can be found.
Our bodies are built as to almost fall at all times when we are upright. We have a narrow base, a high centre of gravity and a heavy head at the top. It sounds like a recipe for disaster. However, the good news is that it makes initiating any movement very easy and allows us great freedom to move in all directions with a remarkable number of variations. On the other hand, the brain has the enormous task of constantly making sure we do not lose balance as we move.
Poor balance is the cause of the majority of falls in older adults, and falls are the leading cause of injury-related death and hospitalisation in people aged 65 and over. However, current life expectancy is around 80, so 65 is not especially old. It has been pointed out that it is not only the older adults whose ability to generate and maintain balance is deteriorating. Joan Vernikos, PhD, former chief of NASA’s Life Sciences Division, points out that even people in their 20s are beginning to show signs of diminished balance.
Adults tend to sit for long hours at a time. Even when participating in fitness programmes, the activity often places a greatly diminished demand on the brain to negotiate the pull of gravity. Some examples are using stationary bikes and lifting weights while sitting.
Our bodies are built as to almost fall at all times when we are upright. We have a narrow base, a high centre of gravity and a heavy head at the top
Over time, as people age, their stance tends to get wider, they shuffle their feet when walking and their whole body becomes progressively more rigid. This indicates a loss of differentiation in the brain. They move as one block, trying to achieve stability and safety by actually inhibiting movement – the type of stability a table or chair has.
The gradual deterioration of balance in younger people can reduce the motivation to move and try doing new things. This tends to stifle continued learning, vitality and joy and may limit life unnecessarily.
For older adults, fear sets in because they feel they cannot manage unexpected changes effectively. This sets up a vicious cycle in which reduced movement and reduced brain activity leads to further reduced mobility, leading to loss of neural connections and further loss of the ability to balance and control movement.
An important part of what is necessary to have good balance is for the brain to sense and feel where the body is in space and how it relates to its environment. Research shows that peripheral sensation seems to be the single most important factor in the maintenance of static postural stability (Postgrad. Med. J., 2006).
One of the reasons that older adults begin falling is because they are no longer able to quickly and clearly feel sensations coming from the soles of their feet. These sensations inform the brain about the ground surface and any changes in the surface they are stepping on. Without this information, the brain cannot make adjustments to the body to ensure maintaining balance.
The good news is that the common deterioration described above is reversible. Even those who are athletic and have good balance can become even better (Sports Med., 2011). At any age and under the right conditions, the brain can restructure itself and change for the better.
There are many ways you can begin to improve your balance at home. Depending on your ability, you can just try standing on one leg, progressively standing for longer times. I do it when brushing my teeth. However, if this is too much to begin with, there are a series of exercises, some using a sturdy chair to support you, others lying on your back and some sitting up. Also, for those of you who have a WiFit, there is a huge selection of balancing exercises and a regular assessment to show how well you are doing.
A series of movements called NeuroMovement have been set up by Anat Baniel – an author of various books regarding movement and who has been involved in training dancers in movement, helping athletes overcome injuries and working with children and infants. She has evolved her knowledge into the registered NeuroMovement trademark, which is described on www.anatbanielmethod.com.
Whichever way you try to maintain your balance, it is a vital part of your life at any age.
kathrynmborg@maltanet.net