Watch out for these balance busters

As we age, physical changes and health conditions often affect our balance, raising risk for serious injuries like hip fractures and head trauma.

Recognizing potential balance busters allows you to take steps to become steadier. “Everything we do to maintain our health, alertness, fitness, and mobility will slow the trajectory of our declining balance,” explains Dr. Steven Rauch, medical director of the Balance and Vestibular Center at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear.

What is balance?

First, let’s consider the basics. Steady balance relies on input from your eyes, inner ears, nerves, muscles, and joints—all processed by the brain. As you age, vision and hearing tend to diminish, nerve signals become less reliable, muscles lose strength and power, and reflexes slow.

Yet good balance is the foundation for nearly every movement you make. Even if you are strong and flexible, poor balance can make routine tasks difficult—or unsafe. Getting out of bed, using the toilet, tying your shoes, or picking up a grandchild or grocery bag all require stability. So do climbing stairs, stepping over curbs, and navigating around obstacles. Simply put, the better your balance, the easier and safer it is to stay active and independent. And by identifying possible risks, you can take steps to improve your balance. Here are the top three major balance busters:

1. Health-related balance risks

Several medical issues can affect balance:

• Vision problems like cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration can hinder your ability to relay your location to the brain.

• Inner ear conditions such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, infections, or Meniere’s disease can cause vertigo.
• Neuropathy, often from diabetes or spine issues, reduces sensation in legs and feet.
• Foot conditions, like fallen arches, can alter gait and stability.
• Orthostatic hypotension, a drop in blood pressure upon standing, can cause dizziness.
• Mild cognitive impairment can affect your reaction time and ability to sense where you are in space.

2. Medication-related balance risks

Certain drugs can make you woozy or unsteady, including:

• Anti-anxiety drugs
• Older antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
• Blood pressure medications
• Diabetes medications
• Opioids and sleep aids

3. Environmental balance risks

Falls can also result from your surroundings and footwear choices:

• Outdoor hazards: uneven paths, paths blocked by shrubbery or large tree roots, poor lighting, or snow, ice, or rain, especially if you’re not wearing footwear that grips the ground

• Indoor hazards: clutter, loose rugs, dim lighting, slippery floors, extension cords, pets, or even ill-fitting slippers or shoes that keep you from sensing the floor properly

Ways to boost balance and avoid falls

1. Remove home hazards and install safety features (grab bars, nonslip treads, handrails)
2. Talk to your doctor if you experience medication side effects and to find out whether physical therapy or a cane might help your balance
3. Wear supportive shoes with laces to keep them snug on your feet
4. Build better balance: engage in activities like walking, yoga, tai chi, or dance
5. Try this exercise: Stand on one leg with the other foot lifted a few inches. Hold, then switch legs. Repeat 10 times each side. If you’re unsteady, position yourself near a counter or wall before trying the exercise. Practicing regularly will help.

As Dr. Rauch urges: “Use your balance, because there’s no question that good balance is a use-it-or-lose-it proposition.”

For more proven tips on ways to improve your balance, check out Everyday Balance Exercises: Easy moves to get stronger, feel steadier, and stay active—a Special Report from Harvard Medical School.

Image: © kate_sept2004  | GettyImages