It’s All About Balance: The Importance of Dynamic Balance Training With Age
Meghan MacPherson, Staff Physiotherapist, BSc.Kin, MScPT, CSCS, Certified STOTT Pilates Instructor
Dare I say, as winter approaches, so does the incidence of falls and fall-related injuries. Age-related balance impairment is a major risk factor for falls and fractures.
We all seem to put focus on cardiovascular training to condition the heart, and strength and conditioning to maintain muscle bulk, but rarely to we incorporate balance training into our routines. However, integrating a difficult balance exercise is recommended to improve postural balance.
It has been shown numerous times the benefits of wobble board training in athletes for rehab of ankle sprains and the like. However, rarely is it used as a training method to increase the reaction time of the ankle musculature. This is especially relevant as postural balance using the ankle strategy (muscles of the ankle responding to perturbation and stopping the body from falling) decreases with age and lack of specific training.
A recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning examined the effects of wobble board training. Results demonstrated that after two sessions of balance training for nine weeks (10 minutes each session) participants showed significant improvement in their postural control and dynamic balance. This was measured by participants being able to adapt their center of gravity on an unstable surface to maintain a standing posture. Thinking more practically, this translates to stepping on a particularly slippery spot of ice on your driveway or cutting across an uneven field in a soccer match and having the reaction speed to keep your body upright.
Regardless of age or training status, dynamic balance training is an important facet to include in your training program. Below are some strategies to start incorporating balance training into your routine.
- Start by standing on one foot while doing trivial tasks, such as brushing your teeth, cooking dinner or waiting in a line
- Try doing some of your strengthening exercises on an unstable surface. Do lunges or squats on a Bosu Ball instead of on a level surface
- If you don’t have access to a wobble board or Bosu Ball, try creating your own unstable surface at home (use a foam mat, mattress or even a pile of towels)
- Try increasing the challenge of your proprioceptive system by closing your eyes and forcing your body to rely completely on your feet to give it information about your body position in space
Reference:
Ogaya, S., Ikezoe, T., Soda, N., Ichihashi, N. Effects of balance training using wobble boards in the elderly. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning. 2011. 25(9): 2616-2622
Table Of Contents
- THE EDGE
- Do you know SQUAT?
- Stubborn Strains – How to Heal the Hamstring
- Hardcore Core
- It’s All About Balance: The Importance of Dynamic Balance Training With Age
- Question to Pose: An Overview of The Pose Method® for Running
- Stretching the Truth: Clarifying what we know and don’t about a stretching routine
- Take Five – How to Prep for Exercise
In 1999 while working in construction I fell through a ceiling and broke my ankle socket. I was in a cast for twelve weeks then went through five weeks of physiotherapy. My ankle was still causing me a great deal of pain, preventing me from participating in sports or physical activities, so two years later I had my ankle scoped and was told the only other solution for the pain was to have my ankle fused.
Over the next several years I tried more physio and massage therapy but the pain just became worse. After discussing it with my new physician she recommended me to SEMI. When I went to the clinic they performed a treatment called Prolotherapy. I could feel an improvement in my ankle after the first treatment. I received five treatments in total and am pain free and have 95% of the movement back in my ankle. I am very satisfied with the outcome of the treatment and want to thank the staff and doctors at SEMI. I highly recommend this clinic to anyone who has any type of injury.
