The Importance of Balance Training

by Sally Saenger

What Is Balance Training?

In basic terms, balance training involves exercises that improve your ability to maintain your center of gravity over your base of support. This can include practicing static balance exercises, such as standing on one leg, or dynamic exercises, such as walking heel-to-toe (“walking a tightrope”) and weight shifting.

As you perform a balance exercise—even if you wobble slightly forward, backward, or side to side—your brain gathers information about your body's position in space. When it senses that you're leaning too far in one direction, it quickly activates the muscles needed to bring you back to center.

By practicing these movements repeatedly, your brain learns to activate the right muscles at the right time more quickly. This creates muscle memory—the ability to perform familiar movements with little conscious effort. As your muscle memory becomes more efficient, your ability to balance effectively improves.

Why Do Balance Training?

As we age, our bodies go through a number of changes that can affect our balance. These changes include a loss of muscle mass and strength, decreased bone density, and reduced function of the body's sensory systems (vision, the vestibular system, and proprioception). Together, these changes can affect your sense of balance and increase your risk of falls.

Research shows that regular balance training helps older adults improve balance and reduce their risk of falling. This type of training involves exercises that challenge the body's ability to maintain stability and control its movements, thus helping you stay steadier and more confident during everyday activities.

How Does Balance Training Help?

First, balance training enhances proprioception—your body's awareness of its position in space. It also strengthens muscle memory, allowing you to react more quickly to changes in your environment and maintain your balance more effectively.

Second, balance training improves muscle strength, mobility and flexibility, all of which are important for maintaining stability and preventing falls. By challenging your body to maintain equilibrium during both static and dynamic movements, it also enhances coordination and motor control. Regular practice can even improve posture, another key component of good balance.

Finally, balance training helps build confidence and maintain independence. As your balance improves, you'll likely become less fearful of falling and more confident in your ability to move safely. This often encourages you to stay active and engaged in your daily activities, leading to a better overall quality of life.

How Often Should You Do Balance Exercises?

It is recommended that older adults perform specific balance and stability training exercises at least two to three times per week, in addition to other forms of exercise such as strength training, stretching and cardiovascular exercise. My suggestion is to find ways to give attention to improving your balance skills everyday, even if it’s only a few minutes each day.

Also, try to include a variety of physical and recreational activities in your weekly life. Dancing, tennis, Tai Chi, yoga—these and other various activities challenge your stability in different ways and help your balance system continue to improve.

Balance is a skill that must be practiced regularly in order to improve. Challenge yourself enough to make progress, but always practice in a safe environment where you feel confident and secure. The extra time invested in balance training is well worth the effort. It can help you stay active, independent, and confident for years to come.