Thirteen Balance Exercises for Seniors to Build Strength and Mobility

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that falls are the leading cause of injury among adults aged 65 and older. Smith Physical Therapist and Balance Expert, Dana Tress shared some of her favorite fall-prevention exercises with Care.com, including the Heel-to-Toe Walk, Step-Up and Balance, and Hurdles.

Tress explains how to do the Heel-to-Toe Walk exercise, “Walk in a forward direction, placing the heel of one foot directly in front of the toes of the other foot. Travel 10-20 feet in this fashion. Instead of turning around, walk heel-to-toe in a backwards direction.”

The Step-Up exercise requires access to stairs: “As you go up your stairs, step up and try to balance for 2-3 seconds before placing your other foot on the next stair,” says Tress. “Use the railings for support as needed.”

and for the Hurdle exercise place an item four to six inches of height on the floor. (An empty tissue box or yoga block works.) Per Tress: “Face the obstacle and step over it, leading with the right foot. Step backwards over the obstacle leading with your left foot. Repeat 10-15 times. Then, change feet, leading with the left foot to step forward and right foot to step backwards. You can also stand next to the obstacle and step over it sideways with each foot,” she adds. “Then go back the other way. Always hold on for support if needed!”

For additional exercises and more tips on improving balance and to see all of Dana’s recommendations, click here:  https://www.care.com/c/balance-exercises-for-seniors/ 

 

About Dana Tress:

Dana Tress graduated Summa Cum Laude with her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Bradley University in 1997 and joined Smith Physical Therapy in March of 2017. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings, but has spent most her career working in outpatient orthopedics and neurology.

While she enjoys working with all orthopedic conditions and injuries, Dana has focused more than half of her career on extensive continuing education and training on dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders, concussion management and treatment, return to play/work progression, as well as headache treatment and management.

Dana’s combination of manual skills, functional movement analysis, balance and vestibular techniques, and clinical instruction techniques allow her to personalize each treatment to every individual. Additionally, Dana is a Certified Concussion Specialist, Certified Clinical Instructor, Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist, Gary Gray 3DMAPS Specialist, and Graston Technique® provider.

Visit our Balance and Concussion Center page for more information on our program.

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