Balance : Its Role in Everyday Life
Our ability to balance is a key part of what allows us to do everyday tasks; walking, running or sitting down & getting up from a chair. These ‘mobility skills’ are increasingly used as predictors of how likely it is we'll experience more serious events as we age; like falls, hip fractures and hospitalizations.
Balance relies on the interplay of three systems: the visual system that helps us see, the vestibular system in the inner ear that responds to gravity and the sensory nerves system that responds to muscle tension, joint position and pressure at the bottom of our feet.
In daily life, maintaining balance has more to do with our ability to quickly stretch & relax opposing muscles to produce the required movement (in response to the systems) that keep our bones and joints aligned so we stay upright. Muscle mass then becomes important.
As we age, the acuity of our systems and muscle mass declines, bringing about challenges to our balance. Fortunately, our balance can be maintained, even enhanced, with regular physical activity.
Many yoga poses provide balance (and abdominal) training with
Single leg postures,
Poses with split stances, and
Poses with uneven loads
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