Adult Balance
The Importance of Balance
People have varying abilities to balance, some good, some very poor.
The groundwork that is done as a child will greatly dictate whether a person has good or poor balance. Most people have observed a child when they are learning to walk, they fall over a lot, but eventually they get it right. The more often they try the better their balance becomes. Kids who are outside riding a bike or playing football will have better balance because they are working on it, even though they are unaware that is what they are doing.
People often say, “my balance is terrible” it may be, but the only way to improve it is to work at it. Just like the toddler learning to walk for the first time.
How can an adult improve their balance?
There are many ways to improve balance- some examples are – the most basic exercise is to stand on one leg and see how long you can hold this without tipping over. If this is easy to make it harder to move your arms around in circles, or throw a ball up in the air and catch it. Try standing on one leg and bend down and pick something off the floor. Always compare both sides.
To make balance exercises more interesting and fun, there are balance training aids available in sports stores such as wobble boards and cushions, which will make the surface underneath more unstable. These usually come with instructions on how to use them correctly and safely.
Having good balance will help prevent injury and enhance sports performance; the sports person will have greater agility and quickness.
Always remember to use it or lose it – it’s important to practice.