Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Better Balance: Easy Exercises to Improve Stability and Prevent Falls
    Better Balance: Easy Exercises to Improve Stability and Prevent Falls
    Better Balance: Easy Exercises to Improve Stability and Prevent Falls
    Ebook158 pages1 hour

    Better Balance: Easy Exercises to Improve Stability and Prevent Falls

    By Suzanne E. Salamon, MD and Bradley D. Manor, PhD

    3/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Poor balance, a persistent problem for millions of Americans, triggers many falls. In young, healthy adults, balance is largely an automatic reflex. However, gradual changes linked to growing older—such as weak or inflexible muscles, slower reflexes, and worsening eyesight—affect the sense of balance. Certain health problems—such as inner ear disorders, neuropathy, and heart rhythm disturbances—may upset balance, too. So can alcohol and many medications. Perhaps it's not surprising that every year, at least one out of three people over age 65 falls. Shaky balance can spur a downward spiral. Often, people begin moving around less during the day, voluntarily cutting back activities. Confidence dips, muscles essential to balance grow weaker still, and unsteadiness rises in response. So does fear of falling—and falls. But there are ways to improve balance. Better Balance, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, shows you how.
    To create this report, two physicians with expertise in balance and aging joined forces with two master trainers to develop safe, effective balance exercises that can help stop this cycle. With practice, almost anyone can achieve better balance. Strong legs and flexible ankles help prevent falls and allow you to catch yourself if you do trip. What's more, the full blend of recommended activities can help you build better awareness of your body and surroundings, boost your confidence, and tune up your heart and lungs to keep you healthy and independent.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateMay 8, 2014
    ISBN9781614010791
    Better Balance: Easy Exercises to Improve Stability and Prevent Falls

    Related to Better Balance

    Related ebooks

    Wellness For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Total-body Tone-up

      Sep 2, 2022

      Why limit your workout to carving strong arms when you could be sculpting your legs and belly, too? We’ve got just the session for you. ‘This full-body-focused dumbbell workout will get your arms, legs and core working seriously hard,’ raves Rach Pen

      2 min read

    • Article

      Getting Off Your Nerves

      Jul 21, 2019

      Getting Off Your Nerves
      7 min read

    • Article

      Hiit It Harder

      Sep 2, 2022

      Hiit It Harder
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Power Of Your Breath

      Sep 3, 2020

      The Power Of Your Breath
      4 min read

    • Article

      Muscle Imbalance

      Dec 21, 2020

      Muscle Imbalance
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Power Of Kinstretch

      May 5, 2021

      The Power Of Kinstretch
      3 min read

    • Article

      Standing Tall

      Mar 19, 2020

      Standing Tall
      2 min read

    • Article

      Relief Effort

      Jun 6, 2021

      Relief Effort
      8 min read

    • Article

      Ready Or Not?

      Oct 20, 2021

      Ready Or Not?
      5 min read

    • Article

      Boost Your Ride

      Oct 28, 2022

      Boost Your Ride
      4 min read

    • Article

      Resistance Renaissance

      Apr 22, 2022

      Resistance Renaissance
      5 min read

    • Article

      Why An Adjusted Lifestyle Matters

      Feb 24, 2021

      BESIDES the serious implications of health-care demands, loss of life and disruptions of economies created by this pandemic, it has also had other implications. It has forced us all to review what is normal, what is necessary and what is important to

      4 min read

    • Article

      Proven Ways To Prevent Falls

      May 23, 2021

      Proven Ways To Prevent Falls
      4 min read

    • Article

      10 Ways Live Longer

      Jun 24, 2019

      10 Ways Live Longer
      3 min read

    • Article

      Your Healthy september

      Aug 2, 2022

      Your Healthy september
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Logic Of Lifestyle Medicine

      Jan 23, 2022

      If our lifestyles are killing us, why don’t we make lifestyle medicine mainstream? It’s logical, yet this very logic appears to defy public health authorities and the medical establishment. Lifestyle medicine is not taught at medical school, and thos

      3 min read

    • Article

      Your Healthy January

      Dec 23, 2022

      Your Healthy January
      2 min read

    • Article

      Navigating Dr Google

      Aug 11, 2021

      THE INTERNET offers a fantastic array of easily available information. However, determining if it is evidence-based information can be tricky. Often, information can be very biased. It might just be the author’s opinion, with no scientific basis at a

      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Better Balance

    3/5

    1 rating0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Better Balance - Suzanne E. Salamon, MD

      Copyright Notice

      This report is copyrighted by Harvard University and is protected by U.S. and international copyright. All rights reserved.

      Here’s what you CAN do

      •   Print out one copy and route this original to family.

      •   You are permitted to have one copy of this publication on your computer at any time (you can’t put it on a network unless you purchased a license to do so). If you have paid for more copies, then you may have that many copies on computers at any time.

      •   Copy, on an occasional basis, a couple of pages to give to friends, family members, or colleagues.

      •   We are registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC). You can comply with the copyright laws by paying a royalty on copies you make of passages. But not even the CCC can authorize cover-to-cover photocopying or wholesale electronic forwarding.

      •   If you want to distribute copies of this publication, either in print or electronic form, to others on a regular basis, ask us about bulk discounts or licensing opportunities. You may be able to negotiate an agreement, for a single fee, that would enable you to legally distribute photocopies or electronic copies to others.

      Here’s what you CAN’T do (without prior permission)

      •   Make or forward email copies of an entire publication. The law provides for a very limited amount of copying, commonly referred to as fair use. However, cover-to-cover photocopying is forbidden.

      •   Electronic transmission of a copyrighted work is the legal equivalent of photocopying it (and so is posting it on the Internet or in an electronic database), and is therefore not allowed.

      •   Routinely copy and distribute portions.

      •   Republish or repackage the contents.

      Some publishers must resort to lawsuits to protect their publications. Harvard Health Publications would like to eliminate the need for such suits by helping to educate customers. We hope this outline has helped explain what is legal and what is not.

      For more information

      Copyright Clearance Center (CCC)

      Ph: 508-750-8400

      www.copyright.com

      Permissions Requests

      Natalie Ramm, Harvard Health Publications

      Ph: 617.432.2876

      natalie_ramm@hms.harvard.edu

      Licensing, Bulk, and Corporate Sales

      Tonya Phillips, Belvoir Media Group

      Ph: 203-857-3148

      tphillips@belvoir.com

      Harvard Health Publications

      Harvard Medical School

      10 Shattuck Street, 2nd Floor

      Boston, MA 02115-6011

      www.health.harvard.edu

      BETTER BALANCE

      SPECIAL HEALTH REPORT

      Medical Editors

      Suzanne Salamon M.D.

      Associate Chief for Clinical Programs,

      Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,

      Division of Gerontology

      Instructor, Division of Gerontology,

      Harvard Medical School

      Brad Manor. Ph.D.

      Director, Aging and Balance Control Laboratory,

      Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,

      Division of Gerontology

      Instructor in Medicine,

      Harvard Medical School

      Personal Trainers

      Josie Gardiner

      Master Trainer and Fitness Consultant

      Joy Prouty

      Master Trainer and Fitness Consultant

      Writer

      Francesca Coltrera

      Photographer

      Michael Carroll

      Editor

      Annmarie F. Dadoly

      Editor, Special Health Reports

      Kathleen Cahill Allison

      Published by Harvard Medical School

      Anthony L Komaroff, M.D., Editor in Chief Edward Coburn, Publishing Director

      Copyright ©2012 by Harvard University. Written permission is required to reproduce, in any manner, in whole or in part, the material contained herein. Submit reprint requests in writing to:

      Harvard Health Publications

      10 Shattuck St., 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02115

      617-432-1485 Fax: 617-432-4719

      Website

      For the latest information and most up-to-date publication list, visit us online at www.health.harvard.edu.

      Customer Service

      For all subscription questions or problems (rates, subscribing, address changes, billing problems) call 877-649-9457, send an email to HarvardProd@StrategicFulfillment.com, or write to Harvard Health Publications, P.O. Box 9308, Big Sandy, TX 75755-9308.

      Ordering Special Health Reports

      Harvard Medical School publishes Special Health Reports on a wide range of topics. To order copies of this or other reports, please see the instructions at the back of this report, or go to our website: www.health.harvard.edu.

      For bulk rates, corporate sales, and licensing:

      Belvoir Media Group

      Attn: Harvard Health Publications

      P.O. Box 5656

      Norwalk, CT 06856-5656

      email: licensing@belvoir.com

      ISBN: 978-1-61401-013-5

      The goal of materials provided by Harvard Health Publications is to interpret medical information for the general reader. This report is not intended as a substitute for personal medical advice, which should be obtained directly from a physician.

      Contents

      How balance works

      Why improve your balance

      The body’s balance systems

      Balance problems

      Investigating balance problems

      Age-related balance problems

      Health conditions that affect balance

      Medications that affect balance

      How your doctor can help

      SPECIAL BONUS SECTION: Preventing falls

      Why do people fall?

      Personal safety checklist

      Home hazards checklist

      Activities that enhance balance

      Starting balance workouts safely

      Do you need to see a doctor?

      Additional safety tips

      Balance workouts and your overall fitness plan

      Current exercise recommendations

      The health benefits of exercise

      Fitting balance workouts into an overall exercise plan

      Using the workouts

      Choosing the right equipment

      Understanding the workout instructions

      Answers to four common questions

      Warm-ups

      Beginner Balance Workout

      Standing Balance Workout

      Balance in Motion Workout

      Balance 360 Workout

      Balance on the Beam Workout

      Yoga Balance Workout

      Resources

      Glossary

      Dear Reader,

      When a toddler tumbles, he or she may shed a few tears before surging ahead again unscathed. When an adult falls, particularly an older adult, consequences are often far worse. Every year, falls prove fatal for thousands of people. In 2009, more than 22,300 people ages 55 or older died this way. Hip fractures and head injuries from falls undermine independence and raise risk for an early death. Cuts, bruises, and hard knocks to confidence result, too.

      Poor balance, a persistent problem for millions of Americans, triggers many falls. In young, healthy adults, balance is largely an automatic reflex. However, gradual changes linked to growing older—such as weak or inflexible muscles, slower reflexes, and worsening eyesight—affect the sense of balance. Certain health problems—such as inner ear disorders, neuropathy, and heart rhythm disturbances—may upset balance, too. So can alcohol and many medications. Perhaps it’s not surprising that every year, at least one out of three people over age 65 falls.

      Shaky balance can spur a downward spiral. Often, people begin moving around less during the day, voluntarily cutting back activities. Confidence dips, muscles essential to balance grow weaker still, and unsteadiness rises in response. So does fear of falling.

      For this report, we’ve combined our expertise to select safe, effective balance exercises that can help stop this cycle. With practice, almost anyone can achieve better balance. Strong legs and flexible ankles help prevent falls and allow you to catch yourself if you do trip. What’s more, the full blend of recommended activities can help you build better awareness of your body and surroundings, boost your confidence, and tune up your heart and lungs to keep you healthy and independent.

      Falls occur for many reasons, of course. Clutter, broken pavement, dim lighting, and even essential medications can play a role. That’s why we’ve written an in-depth section on fall prevention. Our checklists offer step-by-step strategies for fall-proofing yourself and your home.

      So, flip through the pages of this Special Health Report. Read the safety and fall-prevention tips. Talk to your doctor about health problems and medications that could play a role in falls. Then get started on the walking plan and balance workouts. Fewer injuries and a restored zest in life are well worth the effort.

      Sincerely,

      Suzanne Salamon, M.D. Medical Editor

      Josie Gardiner Master Trainer

      Brad Manor, Ph.D. Medical Editor

      Joy Prouty Master Trainer

      How balance works

      Why spend precious time improving your balance? What is balance, anyway, and which systems in the body govern it? This chapter addresses these questions.

      Why improve your balance?

      Every year, one in three adults 65 or older falls at least once. Over the past decade, deaths from falls have risen sharply for this age group, according

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1