J's Big Gym

TWO LEFT FEET? HOW ABOUT SOME BALANCE

Balance skills are an integral component of healthy aging. Simple activities like reaching into the cupboard, bending down to put on a shoe, lifting a leg up into the car, and traveling up and down stairs require subtle shifts in the amount of weight placed on each leg. The ability to remain stable as body stance fluctuates requires a healthy sense of balance. Unfortunately, as individuals age and become more sedentary, movement becomes restricted and balance and stability skills may decline to dangerous levels. Eventually, even the most basic activities like walking become a challenge. Instability may lead to falls, resulting in broken bones, serious hip fractures, head trauma and even death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accidental falls are the leading cause of death and injury among older adults, affecting more than one third of adults over age 65 in the United States each year. 1

Jay says:
The younger ones among us may be reading this and asking, what is Jay talking about? or worse, you may be saying who cares?
You wouldn’t wait until you are in your 40’s or 50’s to do strength training - don’t think you can ‘get away’ with putting off balance exercises.
ALL puns intended:

exercise is a balance:
aerobics/cardio; balance/flexibility; strength.

Future articles will discuss exercises to help you achieve and maintain balance and flexibility.

1. http://quezi.com/290