Advanced Exercises for Improving Single Leg Balance

In my post on January 29, 2021 I provided exercises for improving single leg balance that was best for individuals with a singe leg balance test time of less than 10 seconds. My hope is those people with a single leg balance test score less than 10 seconds did the exercises and are now at or above 10 seconds. This would mean you are ready for the exercises I will provide in this post. If you are not familiar with the single leg balance test and need to do it on yourself please see my post from January 25, 2021.

Before starting explaining the exercises it is important to understand that balance requires three body systems for your balance to be sufficient. Those three systems are somatosensory, vestibular, and vision. Somatosensory involves the ability of your muscles and nerves to sense the ground while balancing on one leg so it can effectively send the correct signals to the body to maintain equilibrium. For this system to work effectively it requires strength and flexibility in the muscles, especially in the ankles, hips, and trunk. It is important to mention that wearing shoes can disrupt this system considerably during balance activities. Consider doing these exercises without shoes if it safe to do so. The vestibular system helps you align your head and body with gravity so you may determine if it is you are your surroundings that is moving. We also have hair cells in the ear that act as detectors of head movement. As we age the number of hair cells reduce making us less able to detect head movements which can result in more swaying of the body, making us more vulnerable to falling off balance. This is why I am including exercises for this system. The visual system is very important to balance for obvious reasons because we rely heavily on what we see when our center of gravity is altered. However, many of us rely too much on vision because our other systems are not working as well which makes us more vulnerable to falls. For example, you may be walking on a busy street looking down at the ground because you are not sensing your feet on the ground (somatosensory system) as well which then makes you oblivious to any objects that might be in your path to disrupt your balance. This why I have put an exercise in that will take away your vision so you may trust the somatosensory system better. So here are a few exercises to get you started on improving these systems to improve your single leg balance. I will provide more advanced exercises in future posts.

Somatosensory Exercise

Single Leg Toe Taps

Description:

Place 1 plastic or Styrofoam cup to the side of each leg. Stand on one leg and slowly tap your foot to each cone while maintaining upright stance (hands stay on hips, foot does not move). Perform this 10 times on both legs. If your form gets sloppy use something to hold on to at first. You can perform additional sets as your balance improves.

Single Leg Deadlift

Description

Place 1 plastic or Styrofoam cup slightly in front of right foot. You can hold onto a chair for balance with the left hand (over time the goal is to do this without assistance). Slowly lean forward balancing on the right foot while the left leg swings backward and grab the cup. Push through the heels and come back to the standing position. Make sure to keep a neutral back position throughout the exercise. Keep the cup close to your body throughout exercise. Perform 1 set of 10 repetitions to start. Increase up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Perform on both sides. Rest 1 minute between sets.

Vestibular Exercise

Description:

Stand on one leg with hands on the hips and slowly turn your head side to side. Perform 10 head turns each side while maintaining your stance position. Add sets as you can tolerate it. Perform on other leg. If doing multiple sets rest 1 minute between sets.

Visual System

Single Leg stance Eyes Closed

Description: I am showing no picture because I believe it is not needed. Stand on one leg with hands on hips then close your eyes. Hold this position as long as possible or until position is lost. Perform on both legs. Perform 2-3 sets. Rest 1 minute between sets.

I hope this will be a good start for you on your journey to better balance. Please let me know if you have questions or have ideas for additional posts you would like to read. jeffmurphy@fitnessrestored.com