Several organs are called upon to allow us to maintain balance. Balance sensors in the inner ear (vestibular system), eyes, muscles, joints and skin collect information that is sent to the central nervous system through the vestibulo-cochlear nerve. The brainstem associates this information with that coming from the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex. These signals are then interpreted by the brain which sends signals to the eyes and other parts of the body to keep the body upright. Disturbances in this communication chain cause dizziness and imbalances in particular.
Balance: age-related issues
Most often, these balance problems are linked to certain drug treatments, muscle weakness or disturbances in the inner ear. Older people also have poorer balance due to weak lower limb muscles, vision problems and sometimes neurological disorders. But there is no fatality and it is possible to strengthen your balance whatever your age! “Balance is like everything else, it needs to be maintained! Of course it is important to check your eyesight, your inner ear, your blood pressure if you feel dizzy and therefore to consult your doctor. Then it comes to continue to practice physical activity. You should know that people who are more “trained” to manage unstable situations have better balance. Tightrope walkers thus have a very efficient musculo-articular system.“, explains Audrey Brun, physiotherapist, Pilates coach and Pilates Fusion trainer, author of the book Pilates on the wall for a toned silhouette (Ed. Marabout) which emphasizes the importance of strengthening your balance.
“It is important to place yourself in conditions of slight imbalances to compensate for imbalance problems and to make your body work. For example, balancing on one foot is essential to prevent falls“, she advises. “Overall, movement is medicine! It must be adapted of course and well guided but the body is a pretty machine, so don’t be afraid to move for fear of hurting yourself, it’s rather by not moving at all that the real risks arise!“, adds Audrey Brun.
Working on your balance: 3 exercises to do at home
As Audrey Brun suggests, you can do three exercises regularly to strengthen your balance after consulting your doctor if you are elderly or have health problems
Exercise 1
Place yourself on one leg, barefoot on the ground, to also train your plantar receptors. Try to hold as much as possible and then change feet. Do this exercise 5 times on each side. And if it’s really easy, you can even try doing it with your eyes closed!
Exercise 2
Walk barefoot on tiptoes like a dancer to stimulate the muscles in your feet and lower limbs
Exercise 3
Try putting yourself in situations that can create imbalance situations such as lying on the ground and getting back up, sitting on the ground and getting back up…
“As with joint stiffness, balance requires regular training to remain as optimal as possible and thus enable prevent falls ! “, notes Audrey Brun.
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