Body awareness and better balance can prevent falls and subsequent injuries. Balance is important for everyone to work to improve, no matter your age.

Check out our other blog: Prevent Falls with These Simple Tips

Here are 5 balance activities to help increase stability with daily tasks:

Be sure to stand next to a steady, solid surface such as a chair or counter in case you lose your balance with any of these activities. Safety is always number one priority.

Narrow Base of Support

Stand with your feet together and touching or as close as possible.
Hold this position for 30 seconds while looking straight ahead. If you feel steady with that, you can progress to step 3.
Add head turns including looking left, right, up, and down. If this feels good, progress to step 4.
If you’ve had minimal loss of your balance with step 2 and 3, try closing your eyes and maintain your balance for 30 seconds.

2. Staggered Stance

Take one step forward so that your foot is ahead of the other foot and hold for 30 seconds while looking straight ahead.
If you feel steady with that, add head turns including looking left, right, up, and down.
If you’ve had minimal loss of your balance with step 1 and 2, try closing your eyes and maintain your balance for 30 seconds.
Repeat with the opposite foot leading.

3. Tandem Stance

Stand with one foot directly in front ahead of the other in a heel to toe fashion. Hold for 30 seconds.
If you feel steady with that, add head turns including looking left, right, up, and down.
If you’ve had minimal loss of your balance with step 1 and 2, try closing your eyes and maintain your balance for 30 seconds.
Repeat with the opposite foot leading.

4. Single Leg Stance

Stand on one foot, lifting the other completely off the floor. Keep the hips level.
Hold a counter or sturdy chair, if needed to gain initial balance then try to let go while maintaining your balance for up to 10 seconds.
Repeat with the other leg.
Advance to 20 and then 30 seconds as you become stronger and more steady.

5. Walking Forward, Backward, Sideways

With a counter next to you, if needed for balance, walk forward several steps and then backward.
Next, while keeping your hips facing forward and toward a countertop, take several steps sideways to the left and then to the right.
A progression of this would be to take closer steps forward and then heel to toe forward. Only perform these progressions going in a forward direction.