Exercise and Balance – Part 1

This will be the first in a series of posts concerning the benefits of exercise in our senior years. We will address its effects on balance, disease, mental state and strength. This post will address the effects of exercise on balance.

As we get older our ability to maintain our balance is critical to maintaining good health.

Whether you are concerned with getting around a tennis court, walking from room to room in your home or maybe just negotiating a curb, it’s the body’s ability to maintain its balance which allows us to stay on two feet. Balance is one of the first things our bodies learn as infants. And conversely as we age if our balance is compromised, it can then lead to less independent ambulation which can then lead to a myriad of conditions which will decrease the quality of our lives. So what can we do in order to be proactive now and when we hit those “senior” years to stave off the possibility of losing our balance and then having something catastrophic happen in our lives?

Let’s start from the bottom and work our way up. Ankle flexibility – A study was published in the New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy in November 2004 which discussed the relationship between ankle flexibility and risk of falls in women between the ages of 40 and 80 years of age. Final results showed that decreased range of motion in the ankles could contribute to falls. Women in the study who had fallen twice in the past year had at least eight degrees less range of motion (ROM) compared to non-fallers. Most women stated walking as their physical activity. Interestingly it was not the activity that caused the lack of ROM but the falls were. First off it appears that walking does not allow for enough ROM to strengthen and allow the person to have better flexibility. Other movements are required. Follow this link for recommendations.

The fear of falling especially after the first occurrence has enough of a psychological effect that the person is afraid to engage in certain activities which in turn does not allow them to increase strength or flexibility. I have experienced this personally when a senior client of mine sees even the slightest decline in function they become afraid to continue and then in turn become less active and then are more likely to get injured. And I also have clients that have fallen outside of the gym. They have reported this to me, we evaluate the situation, begin incorporating balance and strengthening movements and they become stronger than they were previous to the incident.

Healthy joints – Bone density decreases as we age, from your spine to your feet. This is when osteoporosis occurs.  When this happens bones become more brittle and then more prone to breaks.  Prevention would include exercise and a well- balanced diet including calcium. Women especially as they age need to get enough calcium and vitamin D.  My experience with clients has shown that it is a combined effort of exercise and diet that will encourage an increase in bone density. Not one or the other but both.

LB strength – Dr Stephen Ball was recently interviewed by ElderBranch about his published paper “Outcomes of Stay Strong, Stay Healthy in Community Settings,” published in the Journal of Aging and Health. Ball’s program is ten weeks of simple strength-training. Ball states that one of the three main benefits of his program is a decrease in falls. There is a lot of evidence which is seen in his program that if you increase strength, your risk of falling decreases. The same is true with balance and flexibility.

Core strength – In a study published in The Journal of Applied Research  the Department of Physical Therapy at Loma Linda University presented their findings concerning core strengthening and its effects on seniors. They state that a loss in reflex ability as well as muscle strength in the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis and external oblique muscles reduces functional activities of daily living (ADLs). The subjects in the study were from a senior center where they participated in exercise programs. It should be noted that these exercises did not include specific core (abdominal & lower back) movements. During the study the participants were given core strengthening exercises to do. Previous to this they were tested for stability while reaching. After the study they were tested again. The study lasted 1 month.  After 1 month the improvement was dramatic. The findings of the study showed that specific strengthening of core muscles will increase stability in functional reach.

In conclusion as we age the likelihood of falling will increase. But as we have seen above we can work towards prevention of decreased stability and balance. Which in turn will decrease the chances of falling and the possible devastating effects. Our next discussion will explore the effects of exercise on various diseases.