If you are home alone throughout the day and night, you may be concerned about falling. It is always possible to lose your balance and as you age, you will find that it becomes much easier to fall. When a fall occurs, you run the risk of injuring your hips, back, and head. Your injuries can range from mild to severe depending on how far you fall down and where the accident takes place. Below, you will find a variety of balance and strength building exercises that can keep you on your feet throughout the day and night.
Why Exercise?
You may be wondering how exercise can help you from falling over when you are going about your daily tasks. The process of exercising helps to build your muscle and strengthen your body so that you can regain your balance if it begins to slip. You will notice that your muscles and body feel much more limber and ready to move around.
In addition, exercising improves your overall balance and allows you to continue doing the things you love for a longer period. You will not have to worry about rushing to sit down and you can enjoy your time with friends and family.
Exercise in the Comfort of Your Own Home
There are varieties of items in your home that can help you exercise and you may not have even known it. For instance, a chair without any arms can help you practice balance and help you keep your posture straight. You can also use other objects such as your kitchen counter, dining room table, or even your walls.
Three Exercises to Improve Your Balance
Now is the fun part. You can practice all of these movements in your home, but make sure that you have someone present with you in case an accident does occur.
Balance on One Foot
With your hands on a flat surface such as your kitchen counter, lift one foot and hold it off the ground for 10 seconds. Place your foot back down to regain your balance and switch to your other foot. Once you feel comfortable, try extending the time you remain on one foot. After you have maintained your balance a few times, attempt to let go of the counter and try standing on one foot without any help.
Leg Lifts
Sit in a chair that has a straight back and proceed to lift one leg off the ground. Hold your leg out in front of you for 15 seconds and then place your leg back into a resting position. Do this again with the other leg. Repeat the exercise 10 more times.
Arm Reaches
You can do this exercise by facing a wall. Start with your hands by your side and place both of them on the wall. Using your hands and fingers, crawl up the wall and reach as high as you can and then slowly crawl back down the wall with your fingers. Do this a couple times and then switch to one arm and then the other.
If you work on your balance every day, you will eventually be able to stand and move around on your own without the worry of falling. You cannot expect to overcome any balance problems over night, but with persistence, you will slowly be able to remove one hand completely from the counter and then both hands. Practice, practice, practice to prevent unnecessary injuries caused from falls.
But accidents do happen, and once they do, it is important that help reaches you quickly. In fact, if care is provided within the first hour of falling, there is an 80% chance you’ll experience a full recovery. This critical timeframe is known as the golden hour. Pioneer medical alert buttons are designed to you get you the help you need, when you need it. Call us today 1-800-824-8844 and we’ll explain how.