05/06/2025
If you come along to one of my human physiotherapy sessions, you can almost guarantee that as part of your rehab, I will give you some balance exercises to do. This applies to all categories of patients - young, old, sports injuries, post op, rehabilitation, neuro and many more......
Why?
Balance exercises are essential for maintaining physical stability, coordination, and overall functional fitness. Essentially they enhance control during movement, reducing the likelihood of injury.
Incorporating balance training into your routine—even just a few minutes a day—can lead to better performance, fewer injuries, and greater confidence in movement at any age.
They help with:
1. Fall Prevention
Especially crucial for older adults, balance training reduces the risk of falls, which are a leading cause of injury and loss of independence.
2. Improved Coordination and Stability
Helps the body respond effectively to changes in terrain or unexpected movements during any activity
3. Enhanced Athletic Performance
Absolutely key for all sports that involve running, jumping, or quick changes in direction. This also helps with improving reaction time and body awareness.
4. Injury Prevention and Recovery
They are vital to strengthen stabilizing muscles (e.g., core, hips, ankles), which protects joints from overuse and strain.
In turn, this aids in recovery from injuries like ankle sprains or knee issues by retraining proprioception.
5. Functional Movement and Daily Tasks
Supports everyday activities like walking, climbing stairs, or reaching overhead. This helps to encourage independence in daily living, particularly in older adults.
6. Core Strength and Posture
Many balance exercises engage the core, helping with posture and spinal alignment. This can also help to reduce lower back pain and improve overall biomechanics.
Many people are surprised by how much they struggle at first with the most basic balance exercises, but, once done regularly soon start to see great improvements.
