Fitness

One of the most important things you can do to protect your mobility is to keep moving. But that can feel easier said than done. The first thing is to assess how fit you are at the moment.

Then think about what you want to be able to do in your life. Do you walk quickly, enjoy going up hills, or do you walk more cautiously? Do you exercise already, but feel that your balance isn’t where you want it to be?

Many people who walk or even run or cycle regularly can be surprised to discover that this is sometimes not enough to protect their balance as they age.

While these kinds of exercise are wonderful for general health, they typically involve moving in just one plane of motion – forward. This effectively means that some elements in the balance system are not being challenged – or tuned – enough or frequently enough.

Adding in specific balance training exercises, either at your local gym, the ZIBRIO BalanceCoach app, or trying a Tai Chi class. You can also access fitness trainers who specialize in coaching older adults, those recovering from injury and illness.