Have you watched kids at a
skateboard park? It is awesome the way
they use balance to control their
boards and stay on their feet. Even if
they fall they manage to tuck and roll and come through the experience
unscathed. Skateboards, rollerblades, surfing,
balancing on the handlebars of bicycles or even riding a unicycle is easy for
them, because falling is not a big deal.
Falling is
a big deal when you get older. The fear of falling is almost as inhibiting as
the fall itself. If you have ever
studied martial arts you know that learning how to fall is one of the first
things they teach you. Your body
actually remembers these principles decades later, but the time will come when
tucking and rolling is not enough. The onset is insidious. Your natural agility
starts to taper off at about 30 years of age, and you need to get used to this
idea. Your reflexes and your recovery
time will be a little slower, and your footing may feel a little tentative. A
shorter stride length and a slower pace become your new normal. Nothing dramatic but you may feel that you
have to push yourself harder. Coordination is no longer something
that you can take for granted.
Like everything else balance
is one of those “use it or lose” it deals.
The problem is that unless you are an athlete you may not realize that
your coordination is slipping. The clues might include poor handwriting,
bruises on shins and knee, and more near falls than you would like admit to. Even normally agile people need to work to
boost balance as they age. Unfortunately, when people are afraid of
losing their balance the tendency is to challenge themselves less.
Foot problems are especially
troublesome. Specialists, therapists and
special shoe inserts are all helpful but when you reach a certain age there is
no quick cure. Recommendations all center on balance exercises to improve ankle
strength and flexibility. Balance is more than strength and flexibility
though, and you have to do something to challenge yourself. This could be something as simple as standing
on one leg, rising up on your tip toes, or balancing on an unstable surface. A BOSU type ball or a wobble board will
challenge you like nothing else. Have
you tried standing on a wobble board? It
isn’t as easy as it looks. Be careful
and have another person around, hold on to a chair or keep your finger on a
wall. You are not going to believe the
muscles called into play here. Therapist, health clubs, and personal trainers offer
balance training programs at all
levels and for all ages. Working with
foam rollers, wobble boards, BOSU balls etc. are popular exercise options. Side
to side and back and forth muscle movements could very well have you back on
the tennis courts in no time at all. Write
and tell me what works for you.
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