There are many different reason why people have poor balance. Injury to a person’s knee(s) ankle(s), and inner ear problems may be the cause of the balance problem or instability in a person’s gate can be another reason. Many people that have balance issues are prone to falling.
The purpose of this article is to look at different balance issues, and my opinion about what can be done to improve balance. When looking at this issue, I feel defining balance would be an appropriate place to start. Balance is defined as postural sway. Everyone sways from side to side. Most people do not realize this because the amount of sway is very small. If we did not sway we would not be able to make sudden changes in direction. Excessive sway is a sign of poor balance.
What can be done about this issue? That depends on the cause of the balance problem. If it is an inner ear problem, the person should see an ear specialist. If the problem is related to an injury, people can often help themselves by performing proprioception exercises (balance exercises). These would be specific exercises that are suited to the particular problem.
I like to classify the other type of balance issues as general balance problems. This is can be caused by inactivity and is often seen in aging adults. Another cause of balance problems is balance exercises that are prescribed to people that do not have a balance problem. In addition to causing poor balance, incorporating balance training for these individuals can interfere with a person’s ability to increase strength and power, and can increase the risk of injury. Often overlooked is the fact that the human body adapts to what it is exposed too.
The best way to fix general balance problems is to perform exercises that help to deal with this common problem.