How to Increase Body Balance

If you suffer from any condition that compromises your sense of balance, there are exercises that can help you to improve your balance, strengthen your spine and restore your overall vestibular function. Depending on the cause of your condition, these simple exercises may help to alleviate many of your balance problems. Always consult your physician if you are experiencing chronic balance issues, as there may be an underlying medical problem causing your symptoms.

Things You'll Need

• A Chair, Wall or Another Person to Help Steady Yourself

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Instructions

Leg Lift

• 1

  Stand next to a wall or a chair, and place your hand on it for support.

• 2

  Lift one leg slightly off of the floor in front of you. Hold it at about 8 inches off of the ground for five seconds.

• 3

  Switch legs, and repeat the exercise. Do this several times a day, increasing the amount of time that you hold the extended leg off of the ground, if you can, in intervals of two seconds.

Single Leg Stand

• 4

  Stand with your legs slightly apart, and lift your right leg from the knee with your heel facing behind you. Hold your arms out straight in front of you, with your palms facing down. If you need to steady yourself, stand near a wall or chair, and use one hand to steady your body when you feel a loss of balance.

• 5

  Hold the position for a few seconds or until you feel wobbly. Then return your foot to the floor, and repeat the exercise using the other leg.

• 6

  Repeat this exercise several times a day, gradually increasing the amount of time you hold your foot off of the ground in increments of two seconds.

Walk

• 7

  Take 15 minute or longer brisk walks twice a day. Do not strain yourself, but walk as quickly as you feel comfortable walking.

• 8

  When you walk, swing your arms back and forth, in a counter-motion to your legs.

• 9

  Practice walking on a treadmill if you are unable to walk outside for brief periods of time, due to a health condition or weather concerns. Set the treadmill to the slowest setting at first, and gradually increase the amount of speed until you reach a comfortable walking pace.

Move

• 10

  Enroll in a Tai Chi class, or rent a Tai Chi instructional DVD to help you develop more balance and flexibility. Tai Chi is an ancient art that stretches the body gently and improves coordination and physical and mental balance.

• 11

  Sign up for a ballet or stretch class at your local health club or dance studio. Practicing gentle stretches, such as Pilates stretches or ballet barre exercises, can help you to develop balance and coordination. It will also improve your overall flexibility and help your joints and muscles to work together more efficiently.

• 12

  Enroll in a water exercise class at your local health club. Working your muscles in the water will improve your flexibility without putting stress on tender joints or fragile bones. Exercising in the water will provide gentle resistance and will help you to coordinate your body's movements.

Physical Therapy

• 13

  Enroll in a vestibular rehabilitation course if your balance problems are caused by inner ear or brain dysfunction. Using gentle movements of the head and neck, your vestibular rehabilitation therapist can help you to restore proper balance naturally.

• 14

  Tell your doctor if you are not comfortable performing balance exercises at home or at the gym. He can refer you to a physical therapist that will work with you to develop exercises tailored to meet your physical needs.

• 15

  Try electro-stimulation or ultrasound sessions to see if you experience any improvement in your balance. A licensed physical therapist, chiropractor or osteopath should be able to perform these therapies, which work by stimulating the electrical signals inside the muscles and nerves. These methods are painless and generally take only 15 minutes or so a few times a week to perform.

• 16

  Visit a licensed massage therapist. Having a deep-tissue massage once a week can stimulate your nerves and muscles to perform more efficiently. A qualified massage therapist may also be able to tell where there is muscle weakness or energy blockages caused by muscle spasms or tightness and can address the problem by applied massage techniques.

• 17

  See an acupuncturist on a regular basis to stimulate nerve endings, improve muscle coordination and remove any blockages that may hinder your ability to balance. Many chiropractors or kineseologists are trained to perform acupuncture.

• 18

  Visit a chiropractor or kineseologist. Your condition may be acute and treatable in only a few visits, or you may need to seek regular care for a chronic condition which requires spinal adjustments.