Being a two-legged human being is quite the balancing act. There have been many hikes on uneven terrain where I wished for four legs instead of two! Not that I don’t enjoy being upright, having arms and hands with opposable thumbs (miracle!) – I do! But two legs come with a unique set of challenges, and maintaining steady balance is definitely one of them.
Balance is not about never stumbling, falling, tripping or faltering – that’s unrealistic. What it is about is the ability to react to these missteps. I’ve tracked myself on several occasions just to see how often I falter – it’s a lot! But, here’s the deal; I catch myself so quickly and so naturally that these minor stumbles don’t normally even register. This leads me to believe that it is not necessarily that we lose our balance as we age; it’s that we lose our ability to react quickly enough to avoid a fall.
How, then, do we preserve and improve our reaction time? I think we have to set up conscious situations that take us off balance and then catch ourselves. Here’s a really simple way to practice falling and catching.
Take big steps from side to side or forward and back, arms extended in a “T,” landing on one leg while you pull the opposite foot up to about ankle height – hold that for 3 counts, then take a big step onto the other leg. The idea here is to force yourself out of balance so you can practice catching yourself. You have to make the steps big enough to cause you to lose your balance so you can regain it. Do this stepping for several minutes 2-3 times a week.
This is actually a big topic that could include foot health, core strength, well aligned bones and relaxed muscles, a focused mind . . . For now, just know that being steady on your feet has little to do with being immovable or timid in your gait, but everything to do with being responsive, flexible and supple enough to react quickly and accurately to the unpredictable terrain beneath your feet.
To Your Body, Carol
