Balance and strength can quickly decline as you age and the repercussions can be serious. Back, knee, and hip pain all have connections to decreased balance and strength. Falls are also one of the leading causes of serious injury as you age. Fractured hips from falling lead to loss of mobility and strength, slowing down life and making you feel the effects of age faster.
Working to maintain adequate balance and strength is the best way to prevent this decline from happening to you. It’s never too late to start, but working on this early will set you up for the best chance at preventing pain and injury.
Fortunately, with proper exercise, you can maintain and improve your balance. To make it easier to stick to, it helps to have some exercises that work both balance and strength at the same time. Here are 2 exercises that do just that.
Split Squats
Split Squats are the easier of the two exercises we’re showing you today. They improve hip and thigh flexibility and strength. They also challenge your balance by keeping your feet spread apart front to back but keeping the side to side width small.
Start with 2 sets of 10 reps and hold for 5 seconds at the bottom. Go slow and breath in and out at the bottom. This will help you control the movement more and really lock in your ability to hold the position. Do these 2-3 days a week. Try to work up to 3 sets of 10.
Single Leg Deadlift
This exercise is more advanced. It really demonstrates your ability to maintain balance while also building strength in your low back, glutes, and hamstrings.
Going slow is the key here. This exercise is all about control, not speed. Start with no weight and try 2 sets of 8-10 reps. Work up to 3 sets and gradually try adding some weights as you get stronger.
None of the exercises above should hurt. If they do, or if you’ve tried these and you’re not improving, we’d love to help you! At Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, we’re experts at improving strength and balance and overcoming pain.
Call our office at 703-810-7487, or click here and a member of our team will schedule you an evaluation with one of our highly skilled physical therapists.
Working to keep you living your best life,
The Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Team
