By Dr. Shawn Thistle DC, DAc, CSCS, ART®

How does balance work?

Humans balance themselves through the complex integration of sensory information from 3 main sources:

1. visual system - what you see in terms of motion, and orientation (horizontal/vertical)
2. vestibular system - sensory system in the inner ear that responds to changes in the position of the head relative to gravity
3. peripheral joint and muscle receptors - specialized cells that monitor the position of joints, and the tension on muscles to provide feedback to the central nervous system about the position of parts of the body

Information from these three sources converges in various locations in the human brainstem, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex to allow you to move smoothly with respect to gravity, and perceive the world around you. A general term to refer to all of these systems is the proprioceptive system [proprioception ==> pertaining to sensations of body movements and awareness of posture, enabling the body to orient itself in space without visual cues - Mosby's Medical Dictionary 5th ed.].

How does balance affect exercise?

Every motion involved in resistance training (and all sporting activities) involves some degree of balance…extreme examples come to mind from sports like gymnastics, but even something like putting in golf requires a stable footing to allow for proper technique. During a task like this constant feedback is allowing small stabilizing muscles in the feet and lower leg to respond appropriately to keep us stable.

We all sort of take our proprioceptive capabilities for granted as they occur at a subconscious level (in the background), therefore not requiring any conscious effort. We only tend to notice this system when something goes awry, and we experience symptoms such as dizziness and unsteadiness. These more severe symptoms tend to occur with damage to the second system discussed above - the inner ear apparatus or vestibular system.

More subtle changes occur to the third system - the peripheral joint and muscle receptors - that can have dramatic effects on athletic performance, as well as daily activities such as walking. Our proprioceptive capabilities are one of the first sensory functions lost with injury or immobilization (such as being in a cast after a fracture), and also with age.

The good news is that this capability can be rehabilitated, and trained in almost everyone. This involves merely minutes a day to perform a few simple maneuvers.

For seniors, this type of work could allow them to catch themselves from tripping and falling. For athletes, it could be the difference between making it to the next level in a given sport. Regardless, it is an oft-ignored aspect of fitness that deserves more attention. As with any aspect of training - there is a certain progression in difficulty that is prudent to follow.

Home Balance Progression:

1. stand beside a chair - lift one leg off the ground with eyes open and arms out to sides (in a T shape) for 10-15 seconds (use the chair for balance if required)
2. repeat 1) but bring arms down to your sides
3. repeat 1) but with eyes closed (this removes one of the inputs to the system and makes balance more difficult)
4.  stand on one leg with no chair, varying between eyes open and closed, arms out and at sides for 30-45 seconds
5. stand on one leg - hold a soup or apple juice can in one hand and pass it in a large arc around your body from one hand to the other
6. stand one leg - put three cups on the floor in a row in front of you one at a time (returning to neutral position each time) - then reach out and pick them all up one at a time
7. repeat 6) - but this time put cups on either side of you (i.e. 3 and 9 o'clock positions)
8. 6) can be repeated with any variation of different locations for the cups
9. stand on a small pillow and begin again at 1) (this makes the standing surface unstable and therefore provokes the joint and muscle receptor systems to a greater degree)

PROGRESS CAREFULLY AT YOUR OWN PACE


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