Exercises for stabilization: Varieties, advantages, and additional information
In today's fast-paced world, maintaining balance and stability is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Balance exercises can help improve balance, increase coordination, and prevent falls, making them an important part of everyone's fitness routine.
For people with Parkinson's disease, chair leg raises are a safe balance exercise that targets the legs and core. These exercises can help manage the symptoms of the neurological condition, which causes uncontrolled shaking and movement, and affects a person's balance and coordination [1].
Stability balls provide balance training and allow a person to work the core and trunk in almost every exercise. They are a versatile tool that can be used to enhance balance and stability, especially in sports where coordination, ease of movement, and stability are crucial [2].
Dynamic balance exercises, such as partner ball balance, require two people, a balance ball, and a medicine ball. These exercises challenge the body to maintain balance while moving, making them great for improving athletic performance [3].
Basic and advanced balance board exercises are also effective in improving body equilibrium. Exercises like the basic balance hold, squats on a balance board, and plank balances challenge core stability, coordination, and control by creating an unstable surface that forces continuous muscle engagement and postural adjustments [4].
Single-leg balance exercises, performed with or without support, are designed to improve proprioception and activate stabilizing muscles around the ankle and hip. This exercise trains the nervous system for rapid adjustments to maintain equilibrium, crucial for fall prevention and agility [5].
Heel-to-toe (tandem) walking enhances coordination between sensory systems and muscles responsible for upright posture. This dynamic balance exercise is beneficial in real-life situations requiring fine balance control [2][5].
Exercises combined with sensory challenges, such as balance training combined with stroboscopic visual training, can further improve balance, especially under sensory-deprived conditions, by enhancing reliance on proprioceptive and vestibular inputs [4].
Additional balance-improving exercises include standing on tiptoes to strengthen foot and ankle muscles, getting up from a chair without arm support for lower-body strength, and using various stance positions to progressively challenge stability [5].
Research supports that these varied modalities, including balance board training, single-leg stance, dynamic walking drills, and sensory integration exercises, effectively enhance balance performance across populations, improve postural control, and reduce injury and fall risk [1][2][3][4][5].
For those looking for a new challenge, the plank with elbows on a stability ball adds an extra layer of instability to the plank pose. Side-stepping exercises, where you step sideways to one side of the room, lifting the knees as high as possible, are also effective in improving balance and agility [6].
Remember, balance is not just important for athletes or the elderly. By incorporating balance exercises into your daily routine, you can improve your overall health and reduce the risk of falls and injuries. So, let's get started on our journey towards better balance today!
References: [1] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Parkinson's disease. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376806 [2] American Physical Therapy Association. (2021). Balance exercises. Retrieved from https://www.moveforwardpt.com/Resources/Detail/balance-exercises [3] American Council on Exercise. (2021). 10 dynamic balance exercises for improved stability and coordination. Retrieved from https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/professional/programs-and-certifications/functional-training/articles/8026/10-dynamic-balance-exercises-for-improved-stability-and-coordination [4] National Institute on Aging. (2021). Balance exercises for older adults. Retrieved from https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/balance-exercises-older-adults [5] Harvard Health Publishing. (2021). Balance exercises for better posture and stability. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/balance-exercises-for-better-posture-and-stability [6] Verywell Fit. (2021). 10 stability ball exercises for core strength and balance. Retrieved from https://www.verywellfit.com/stability-ball-exercises-for-core-strength-and-balance-3937813
Devices like stability balls can be used to enhance fitness-and-exercise routines, providing balance training and working the core and trunk in various exercises. Science and health-and-wellness research suggest that balance board exercises, single-leg balance exercises, dynamic walking drills, and sensory integration exercises can effectively improve balance performance, postural control, and reduce the risk of falls and injuries.
