Balancing Exercises
HEEL WALK
Raise up your toes and walk on your heels.Take few steps forward and then a few steps backwards.
Raise up your toes and walk on your heels.Take few steps forward and then a few steps backwards.
SKY WALK/MARCHES Engage your lower abs, stand tall, and put hands on the hips or out to side for balance. Walk 20-30 feet bringing knees up into high march position without leaning or changing the position of your hips.
RETRO GAIT
Walk backwards. As you steps backward, lead with the toe touching the floor first and then rolling to a flat foot as shown.
Walk backwards. As you steps backward, lead with the toe touching the floor first and then rolling to a flat foot as shown.
SINGLE LEG BALANCE
Stand on involved leg. To increase difficulty, balance on a pillow or thick piece of foam.
STAGGERED STANCE BALANCE
Stand near a chair or wall for safety. Place heel of one foot in front of toes of the other with feet, slightly apart. Maintain your balance while standing.
Stand as long as you can.
Toe Spreading for Foot intrinsic strenthening
Stand on one leg with knee slightly bent. Maintain good posture.
Mark lines or numbers on the floor anteriorly. Stand on leg and reach out with other leg in the anterior direction as far as you can, as if following the numbers, without losing balance.
Do not touch toe down with reach leg. Do not allow the heel to come up off the ground. Return to a balanced position. Perform 4 repetitions and then measure the reach distance.
Stand on one leg with knee slightly bent. Maintain good posture.
Mark lines or numbers on the floor anteriorly. Stand on leg and reach out with other leg in the anterior direction as far as you can, as if following the numbers, without losing balance.
Do not touch toe down with reach leg. Do not allow the heel to come up off the ground. Return to a balanced position. Perform 4 repetitions and then measure the reach distance.
Bosu Ankle Circles
Begin standing with both feet on the ground in front of a bosu ball. Hold onto a counter to maintain balance.Step onto bosu ball with one foot in the center and transfer weight to that leg.
From here, tilt your ankle so it travels in a circle. Go in one direction for a minute before switching and circling the other way.
**If you need to readjust your stance, step off of the bosu ball with both feet before changing stance
Begin standing with both feet on the ground in front of a bosu ball. Hold onto a counter to maintain balance.Step onto bosu ball with one foot in the center and transfer weight to that leg.
From here, tilt your ankle so it travels in a circle. Go in one direction for a minute before switching and circling the other way.
**If you need to readjust your stance, step off of the bosu ball with both feet before changing stance
CORNER BALANCE
Stand facing out from the corner of wall. Use the corner for balance if you need it position your feet in a ‘tandem’ stance (Heel to toe). Balance here with eyes open for 1 min, only touching wall if necessary.
Switch feet and repeat on opposite side.
Stand facing out from the corner of wall. Use the corner for balance if you need it position your feet in a ‘tandem’ stance (Heel to toe). Balance here with eyes open for 1 min, only touching wall if necessary.
Switch feet and repeat on opposite side.
SINGLE LEG STANCE WITH 3-WAY KICK ON STEP
Balance with one leg on a step/stair/book to prevent leaning while kicking opposite leg While maintaining balance, kick your opposite leg forward, to the side, and backwards while maintaining a straight knee. Only need to kick non-balancing leg to about approximately a foot (do not high kick) Keep shoulders and hips level and do not lean body towards the leg that you are balancing on. To make more difficult perform on pillow/couch cushion
Balance with one leg on a step/stair/book to prevent leaning while kicking opposite leg While maintaining balance, kick your opposite leg forward, to the side, and backwards while maintaining a straight knee. Only need to kick non-balancing leg to about approximately a foot (do not high kick) Keep shoulders and hips level and do not lean body towards the leg that you are balancing on. To make more difficult perform on pillow/couch cushion
SINGLE LEG BALANCE WITH LATERAL PULL
Perform exercise without shoes on. Place resistance band around ankle, applying a lateral pull. Begin exercise with eyes open and perform single leg balance on ankle with resistance band. To increase difficulty, perform exercise with eyes closed progressively while standing on Airex or BOSU.
Perform exercise without shoes on. Place resistance band around ankle, applying a lateral pull. Begin exercise with eyes open and perform single leg balance on ankle with resistance band. To increase difficulty, perform exercise with eyes closed progressively while standing on Airex or BOSU.
STRIDE STANCE WITH ARM CIRCLES
Place feet apart as if taking a walking stride, right foot in front. Extend arms straight out in front of you, create circles clockwise/counterclockwise. Repeat with opposite foot forward.
Place feet apart as if taking a walking stride, right foot in front. Extend arms straight out in front of you, create circles clockwise/counterclockwise. Repeat with opposite foot forward.