
When you’re young, you can walk on a two-by-four, play vigorous games with your children and dance for hours without thinking about balance. As we age, however, it becomes harder and harder not only to participate in special activities but also to manage the daily activities that require good body control. An effective balance exercise program can help us keep our physical stability as long as possible.
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Keep in Mind:
Before starting any new exercise(s), we strongly recommend you follow the advice of the National Institute on Aging and consult your doctor.
7 Reasons Why Senior Citizens Should Perform Balance Exercises

Balance doesn’t come as easily to seniors. Often they have to consciously think about it. Balance exercises can help keep our bodies healthy and ready for activity. Consider these advantages of a balance exercise regimen:
- 1Help with the activities of daily living. Everything from putting the groceries away to playing with grandchildren is easier if your balance is right.
- 2Ability to participate more confidently in favorite activities such as golf, tennis, bicycling and dancing.
- 3Prevention of falls. Falls are the top injury cause for seniors.
- 4Less chance of injury if you do fall. Studies have shown that seniors who do balance exercises have less serious falls and are less likely to break bones.
- 5Increased coordination.
- 6Better reaction time.
- 7The general benefits shared with any exercise program. These include reduced disease risk, increased muscle mass, better cognition, stronger bones and better sleep.
As with other kinds of exercise, it doesn’t take a lot of balance exercise to start realizing the benefits. An aggressive program is great, but even light exercise will make you happier and healthier.
Best Balance Exercises For Seniors
Balance exercises can be done standing and sitting. Most can be done without any special gym equipment. There are exercises that call for simple and inexpensive exercise props. Here are a “lucky 13” of exercises to help you improve your equilibrium and maintain it for many years.
Fun and Easy Balance Exercises for Elderly
Balance exercise doesn’t have to be hard, nor do you need great balance to begin a program. Here are some simple ones to start you off.
1. Single Leg Stance

Standing on one leg is simple and effective. Worried you might fall? Do it with a hand against the wall or on the back of a chair.
As you gain confidence, consider variations: raise one arm, for example, or bend your knee higher.
2. Clock Reach

3. Staggered Stance

This exercise builds a balance skill that can slip as we get older: walking a straight line.
Seated Balance Exercises for Elderly
You don’t have to stand to enjoy the benefits of balance routines. Here are two hand-eye coordination exercises you can do sitting.
4. Eye Tracking

Remember, your vision and balance work together. Here’s a simple exercise to build that partnership. There may not seem too much to this, but it preps you for other balancing tasks.
5. Balancing Wand

You’ll need some kind of “stick” to balance on your hand. If you have a magic wand around the house, great! Otherwise use a wooden spoon, a dowel, an exercise stick or any long, slender, lightweight object.
Variations: try it with your other hand or on the back of your hand.
Dynamic Balance Exercises for Seniors
In many balancing exercises you maintain stability in a fixed position. Here are two that require you to center yourself while moving.
6. Rock the Boat

Remember, your vision and balance work together. Here’s a simple exercise to build that partnership. There may not seem too much to this, but it preps you for other balancing tasks.
7. Tightrope Walk

This is just what it sounds like, but you don’t have to walk on air. Do it standing on the floor.
Tai Chi Balance Exercises for Seniors
Tai Chi is a muscle control and balance discipline that’s good for people of any age. For seniors, it improves stability, balance and flexibility, even for folks with Parkinson’s disease. Here are some poses for beginners and older adults.
8. Energy to the Sky


This is a variation of a tai chi figure called Holding Up the Sky.
9. Penetrating Heaven and Earth

This helps the shoulders with their role in balance.
Balance Exercise Equipment for Seniors
You never need more than a chair and a wall for balance exercises. If you want to spice up your routine, however, there is simple and accessible equipment you can use.
The Bosu ball looks like a ball cut in half. You can lay the flat part on the floor and exercise on the soft, round part. Some exercises flip the Bosu over for trickier balance routines.
A balance pad is a thick, rectangular piece of foam that gives extra work to your feet and core when you exercise standing on it.
10. Bosu Unilateral Heel Raise

11. Bosu Basic Stance

Here’s an easy one. Just set the ball down and stand on it. Actually, it’s harder than it sounds.
12. Balance Pad Toes Raises

Balance pad exercises can be done with your shoes on, but some people prefer barefoot. Muscles in your feet and ankles make those tiny adjustments that strengthen them for their role in maintaining balance.
Here’s a simple but effective exercise.
There are quite a few simple but related exercises:
As with any standing balance exercise, steady yourself with a chair or a wall if you’re not confident of your balance.
13. Balance Pad March in Place

It’s more fun done to the sound of Dick van Dyke singing “Step in Time.”
A Balance Workout Improves Your Life in Many Ways
As you see, you don’t have to join a gym or push your body to the limit to improve and maintain your balance. If you suffer dizziness or weakness, or if your posture isn’t what you’d like it to be, even a handful of balancing exercises a few times a week can make a difference. And here’s an added benefit: many older adults find that centering their physical balance helps them center their mind and spirit as well.
Supporting Scientific Studies
- 1Training to Reduce Postural Sway and Increase Functional Reach in the Elderly
- 2The Effect Of Core Stabilization Training Program On Elderly Postural Control
- 3Effect of 12-week Swiss Ball Exercise Program on Physical Fitness and Balance Ability of Elderly Women
- 4The Effects of Trunk Stabilization Exercise Using Swiss Ball and Core Stabilization Exercise on Balance and Gait in Elderly Women
- 5The Effects of Fall Prevention Static and Dynamic Trunk Stabilization Exercises on the Balance of Elderly Females
- 6Effects of Neck and Trunk Stabilization Exercise on Balance in Older Adults
- 7Movement Activities For The Improvement Of Seniors’ Balance
- 8The Effect of Exercise Ball Training on Balance in Older Adults
- 9Effectiveness of Conventional Balance Training Exercise Versus Swiss Ball Exercise Program on Balance in Geriatric Population - A Randomized Controlled Trial
- 10The Effect of 6 Months Training on Leg Power, Balance, and Functional Mobility of Independently Living Adults Over 70 Years Old