A couple of weeks ago, I went to a workshop about feet...specifically, their role in keeping us upright. And since then, I've been encouraging you to test your balance to get a baseline of where you are now...and then practice it regularly.

Why's balance such an important part of the aging story?

Several studies have identified that balance is a really strong predictor of mortality, particularly when it comes to the ability to stand on one leg. Also, you need it to do pretty much everything when you're moving - walking, running, cycling, going up ladders....and once you stop moving regularly, everything else starts to go wrong.

How should you test yourself?

I have four tests for you that together provide you with a total balance score. BTW - You need someone with you to time you and watch for cheating! 

Take your shoes and if possible, your socks too so you've got a really good connection to the floor.

Your partner needs to check for the moment when you: put your other foot down, touch a wall or your partner for support, or start hopping around, that's it. No do-overs!

Test 1: Stand on one leg for as long as possible. Once you've hit the 60 second mark, you're done for that leg. Log your times for both legs in seconds.

Test 2: Same as above ...but with your eyes closed! This time your partner is also looking to check if your eyes flutter open. Log your times for both legs. I'm expecting this will be substantially less time than test 1.

Test 3: Stand on one leg with your heel lifted. Now your partner's checking also for your heel coming down to the floor as well as hopping or other foot down. Log how many seconds.

Test 4: Stand on one leg, heels lifted with, you guessed it, eyes closed. So your partner's checking for heels down, eyes open, hopping, other leg down - all the things! Note how long you last. Probably not very!!

Once you've done, add up all the scores for all the tests (so 8 numbers) to give you a total number of seconds, and then divide that by 4.8 to give you a total balance score %.

How did you do? Basically, you can always improve whatever your starting score.

Here's the good news - practice the tests regularly (like a couple of times a week) and you will see a marked improvement in your score really quickly!

What's going on when you're trying to balance?

Your brain normally uses three different types of information to keep you upright: 

- your eyes;

- your vestibular system (like a spirit level in your inner ear); 

- and proprioceptors in your limbs that send signals to your brain, telling it what's going on and where your limbs are in space. 

It's harder when you close your eyes, because your brain's got to work harder with the data it's still got.

What's the relationship between foot strength/ flexibility and proprioception?

A study this year tested the relationship between foot strength and proprioception and it identified there's a tendency in older adults for a more forward leaning posture, with more pressure into the toes.

At the same time, sarcopenia (i.e. age related muscle loss) in the toes reduces their strength and equilibrium. That's to say - you're pushed forward, out of balance, your toes haven't got the strength to push you back up; and your proprioceptors pick this up and tell your brain you're unstable.

The study also tested whether reduced ankle flexibility played a part and yup, it did! Because there's lots of feedback coming from proprioceptors all over your body, including in your legs, and these also signal instability.

And when you can't move your foot from the ankles properly, you're more likely to trip over your own toes! Ask me how I know this [Check the toes of your shoes - are they scuffed?]! 

How can you improve foot and ankle strength and flexibility?

Rather than make this email the size of a phone directory, here are a couple of my oldest blogs.

Firstly, read my Top Tips for Releasing Tight Calves and Feet - this is all about foam rolling. Sorry. It will hurt!

And here are the Best Foot Strength & Stretch Exercises - this is more about every day mobility work.

And if you just want some good old fashioned balance practice check out this blog

How does doing Pilates help with balance?

When we use equipment like the squishy ball, the magic circle or the foam roller, we're often using them to challenge our balance.

Have you ever noticed how your balance is better when we test at end of class versus the beginning? That's because you've been training your proprioception! 

What else can you do for your balance?

Join us for Strength and Stretch online on Friday mornings at 7.45am. Apart from strengthening our lower bodies generally, we often work on foot/ ankle mobility - including using the hard ball to roll our feet. You can book your space here.

Or of course, join the Priority Wait List here to join one of our fabulous Pilates classes.