Fit Tip: Include Balance Training

Happy Sunday!

I hope everyone has enjoyed this weekend. I’m glad to finally have some warm weather. Happy Belated Summer!

Yesterday, I was pleased to attend my great aunt’s 98th birthday party. It was great for family and friends to come together and celebrate this amazing milestone in her life. It made me think, too, about the importance of staying as healthy and mobile as possible as we age. There are a number of steps we can take to preserve a higher level of functioning as we get older. Today I will discuss one that is often overlooked.

Include Balance Training in Your Workouts

Balance is the ability to control the body’s position while stationary (for example, in a handstand) or while moving (for example, ice skating). We are working on balance when we simply stand on one leg, perform exercises while standing on one leg, use a Bosu or stability ball, or hold certain yoga poses (to name a few examples). Do you regularly include balance training in your workouts? If not, please consider adding this important feature.

Good balance enhances our quality of life at every age. However, balance training becomes increasingly important as we get older. According to the Centers for Disease Control, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries in older adults (aged 65 and older). Balance training can reduce the risk of falling and sustaining serious injuries by:

· Promoting body awareness (a sense of how your limbs are oriented in space);

· Improving coordination (the ability to use two or more body parts together);

· Improving agility (the ability to change the direction of the body in an efficient and effective manner) and

· Promoting stability in the joints, thereby preventing injuries such as sprained ankles and knee problems.

If you incorporate balance training into your fitness program, you will enhance your ability to perform both athletic and everyday activities throughout your life. Have a healthy, active and productive week.

Leslye