4 days ago
To improve balance and prevent falls in your senior years, tai-chi or dance your way
While watching a young twenty-something fitness instructor balance on one foot while tying the shoelaces of the other, I remarked that such feats were a generational thing. 'Nope," he said. 'That's a balance thing." Saying which, the class that followed was all about finding balance amidst stumbles and grumbles.
Falls can kill, not just dramatic plunges but also seemingly minor slips – particularly among older adults. A friend recently texted that he lost his 90-year-old father to a fall at home. Another's 89-year-old mother-in-law required stitches after a fall and never fully recovered. The incidence of falls in people over 65 is around 28 percent.
Dr Shobha N, neurologist and stroke physician at Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru, cites several causes of falls in older adults: impaired vision or hearing, decreased muscle mass, diminished foot sensation, slowed reflexes and altered gait. Underlying conditions like diabetes, cardiac issues, postural hypotension and incontinence all increase fall risk. Some medications and vitamin deficiencies contribute too. Environmental hazards—slippery floors, poor lighting, loose rugs—are added risks.
While some falls are inevitable, many are preventable with improved balance. Fitness experts advise that training should begin early rather than post 50. Saurabh Bothra, yoga instructor and co-founder of Habuild, an online wellness platform, stresses that balance training is a preventive tool, not a late-life remedy. 'Like most aspects of health, you can't suddenly 'catch up' later," he says. 'Incorporating balance exercises alongside cardio and strength training from your early decades ensures that your body and brain remain resilient as you age."
The adage 'use it or lose it" applies here. In her book, Better Balance for Life, published in 2018, Carol Clements writes: 'Balance is a skill. It gets better with practice and deteriorates without it." The book includes a 10-week stability programme, recommending everyday tasks like standing on one foot while brushing teeth or walking an imaginary tightrope while on the phone.
Dance is another effective way to train balance. Jayachandra Pallazhy, founder and artistic director of the Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, says balance and agility are the by-products of dancing. 'All forms of dancing engage the pectoral muscles, which support posture and help improve balance," he notes. Dancing combines auditory (music), visual (movement), and kinesthetic (body awareness) inputs, which engages multiple brain regions simultaneously. 'When you move you connect it with your breath, almost like painting or sculpting with your breath. With dance you understand the alignment of your body and it propels itself." In addition, dancing enhances mental and physical coordination.
Mind-body disciplines such as yoga and tai chi similarly strengthen balance. In tai chi, intentional meditative movement activates the brain while training the body. A controlled trial found that a therapeutic tai ji quan programme was more effective than stretching or multimodal exercises in reducing serious falls in older adults. Zi, a 70-year-old tai chi instructor in Philadelphia, teaches a senior class in a public park each morning. 'Holding on to our dan tien—the body's energy centre—is key," she says. One recommended pose is the Golden Rooster Stands: lift one knee while raising the same-side arm and hold for a few seconds before switching sides.
Yoga, too, offers asanas that improve balance. 'Balance is fundamentally a neurological process," says Bothra. 'It also reflects leg strength and coordination, essential for preventing falls." Poses such as Vrikshasana (Tree Pose), Garudasana (Eagle), Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon), and Tadasana (Mountain) are safe for older practitioners if done near a wall or with support. Bengaluru-based Shubha Rao, 70, has practised yoga since her thirties. 'I continue to do balance asanas and teach other seniors in my apartment building. It helps with stability and confidence," she says.
Yet, even with preventive steps, falling is at times inevitable for anyone. This is where learning how to fall becomes crucial. Skateboarders, for instance, practise falling almost as much as riding. 'The first thing you teach yourself is how to fall safely," says Bobby, 29, a skateboarder practising since he was 10-years-old. In judo, knowing how to land without injury is essential. The Dutch Judo Federation launched ZekerBewegen (feeling safe in movement) in 2015, a fall-prevention programme for seniors. It teaches techniques for falling safely while seated and standing by tucking the chin to minimize injury to head and spine and rolling to distribute impact. 'When we teach swimming to prevent drowning," asks Rao, 'why can't we teach falling to prevent injury?"
Dr Shobha N suggests some simple screening tools to assess the risk of falls.
Tug Test: In this screening tool, a patient is asked to get up from a chair and walk at a normal pace for 3 meters, turn around, walk and sit back in the chair. If this takes more than 13.5 seconds then, the person is at a risk of fall.
Gait Speed: If the gait speed is less than 0.8m/s, then the person is at a risk.
TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE
2. Vision and hearing should be corrected with glasses or hearing aids.
3. Just 20 minutes of daily exercise can enhance muscle mass and joint flexibility. Stair climbing and strength training help slow osteoporosis.
4. Staying hydrated and getting sufficient sleep reduce the risk of tumbles.
5. Vitamin D and B12 supplementation may aid balance, while avoiding alcohol and sedatives is crucial. Managing blood pressure, adjusting anti-epileptic medications and correcting electrolyte imbalances all support fall prevention.
6. Practical measures—such as walking slowly, keeping hands free for support, and using canes or walkers when needed—can make a significant difference. If a fall occurs, it's vital to stay calm and rise slowly with support.
7. Ultimately, addressing both internal and external risk factors—and learning how to fall safely—can prevent serious head, neck and spinal injuries that often compromise an older adult's independence.
Jayanthi Madhukar is a Bengaluru-based writer.
