Best Balance Exercise for Parkinson's People
Balance is very important for Parkinson’s people. Sometimes maintaining balance could be challenging for a few Parkinson’s People. I will be sharing some balance exercises that can improve your balance. Exercises are very simple and can be done at home using a chair to hold on at the beginning level.
How does balance exercise work?
Basically balancing exercises work on core muscles, lower back, and legs.
Consistent effort will enhance to perform these exercises easier and get appropriate results out of exercises.
Slowly Parkinson’s people can increase the no of repetitions.
Parkinson’s people are senior citizens and need to be extra cautious. Balance exercises keep your body active and help to improve coordination the balance at an excellent level. It helps to prevent falls.
Balance Exercise for Parkinson's people
Please perform these exercises while standing in a corner of a room or with your back against a wall and a sturdy chair in front.
Let’s warm up a bit by standing and marching in place for 1 minute.
Stand with a narrow base of support.
Stand with both the feet joined together. Hold the chair for support ONLY if required.
Trial 1- Keep eyes open and count slowly till 10. Repeat one more time.
Trial 2- Keep eyes closed and count slowly till 10. Repeat one more time.
(this will help you to maintain your balance even in the dark.)
One leg standing:- this will help you in activities that require you to balance on 1 leg for a few seconds like while walking or climbing stairs or putting on pants/skirts.
Place a chair in front of you and hold the backrest for support.
Lift one leg ( as shown in the picture)
Hold this position for 10 counts.
Repeat 10 times.
One leg stance with arm raised – now let’s make this exercise harder!
When we need to reach for something that is very far we may need to stretch our hand out and balance on 1 leg.
Place a chair at the side of you and hold the backrest for support.
Lift left leg.
Then raise your left hand. Hold the position for 5 counts.
Do the same on the right side.
Repeat it 5 times on each side.
Tandem stance – I’m sure many of your doctors may have asked you to do this.
Place a chair in front of you and hold it for support.
Stand with one leg in front of the other such that the toe of the back foot is touching the heel of the front foot. If not possible then move one leg a little to the side.
Hold this position for 10 counts.
Bring your feet back to the normal standing position.
Repeat 5 times.
Then repeat the same with the other leg forward.
Forward stepping
Stand with the chair at your side and hold onto it for support.
Place one foot in front, like you are taking a step forward.
Transfer all your weight forward to the leg which is in the front. (the heel of your back leg will raise up if you’ve transferred your weight properly to the front leg.)
Hold this position for 5 counts.
Then take the same leg back to the original position.
Repeat 5 times.
Then do the same with another leg.
Forward stepping with reach outs: when you lose balance you may need to take a step forward and hold on to something.
Stand with the chair at your side and hold onto it for support.
Place one foot in front, like in the previous exercise.
At the same time stretch both or one arm in front of you.
Hold this position for 5 seconds.
Repeat it 5 times.
Do the same on the other legs.
