Keeping your balance vital for survival

Balance is a critical issue as we get older. Whether you are into yoga or some exercise regimen, balance training has become vital for longevity. Doctors want us to make it an integral part of the mandated 30 minutes a day of cardiovascular exercise we all need.

Unintentional falls among the elderly - over 65 are quite common - nearly 1 in 200 annually. Most of these falls are caused by a decline in the complex and multi-faceted human ability to maintain a balance. Over 18,000 fatalities and nearly 450,000 hospitalisations occur in the US annually.

It is a common sight nowadays to see people practicing balancing techniques as they work or queue up at cinema halls. Trying to keep your balance can be done anytime, anyplace.

They say that you can challenge your balance while brushing your teeth. Simply put one foot in front of the other while you brush, or stand with your feet closer together according to experts in physical training.

Anatomy of the 'balancing act'

Proper balance is maintained by the combination of several components of the nervous system, as well as the movement functions (called the motor) that need to be intact according to neurologists.

We are upright and sure-footed due to several factors such as the vestibular system of the inner ear, vision and the ability to sense where one's arms, legs or other parts of the body without looking at them - called proprioception. The strength and flexibility of bones and soft tissue are also vital in that endeavour.

Proprioception is the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body. That would make us feel whether the body moves with required effort, as well as where the various parts of the body are located in relation to each other.

We are endowed with three sensory modalities as we develop from infancy to adulthood: perceiving the outside or exteroceptive sense, the feeling of pain and movement inside or the interoceptive senses and the proprioception, the third distinct sensory modality that provides feedback solely on the status of the body internally according to experts. With age those sensory factors tend to decline, especially when we reach the 70s and beyond.

Balance can be improved

Fortunately, balance can be improved, and the age-related slowing can be delayed or minimized with proper training.

Hence the highly recommended requirement for the elderly to include balance exercises as part of their overall physical activity regimen. That would be the key to reducing most of the accidents.

Trying to keep your balance can be done even without going to a gym or hiring a personal trainer. As you go through your daily routine you could spend few minutes standing on one foot, which may be difficult as we age. Even a brisk walk done regularly could be a much needed confidence booster.

You can challenge your balance in several ways - leaning forwards and roll back etc.

Find out what position kneeling, bending and picking up things or reaching to get something in a higher place-that make you imbalanced and work on improving your abilities.

Functional fitness exercises

Balance training is often seen as part of a larger trend called functional fitness exercises that are geared to helping people handle the physical challenges of day-to-day life: walk between narrow spaces in crowded stores can be improved.

Gaining confidence is important. Some practice walking between narrow gaps, occasionally getting brushed by others.

Our nervous system provides a fair amount of restorative capacity as we age-much more than we felt we knew. Human beings are constantly adjusting, compensating and even developing new skills.

There is nervousness when a cyclist rides in lightening sped past you almost brushing you. You have the capacity to withstand that by proper mental training.

Aerobic activity

It is a proven fact that there are positive impacts of even small amounts of aerobic activity done regularly. Studies have proved that that 'just 20 minutes of walking' before a test raised children's scores, even if the children were otherwise unfit or overweight.

Swedish scientists have found that among more than a million 18-year-old boys who joined the army, better fitness was correlated with higher I.Q.s, even among identical twins: the fitter the twin, the higher his I.Q. Research points to aerobic exercise enhancing specific growth factors and proteins that stimulate the brain.

The slogan now being touted is get children moving, preferably away from their Wiis and the video games. Lessons learnt growing up would make you safer in the long run. Balance training has acquired a new meaning.