Balance Exercises And Dual Task Walking

Balance Exercises Improve Dual Task Walking

By Suzanne Stoke, Physical Therapist @ Exercise For Balance via www.exerciseforbalance.com/

Balance exercises  can help you stay safe while you are walking and talking or performing other dual tasks. Please see http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now researchers have been interested in people's' abilities to engage in separate but simultaneous activities while they walk in hopes of understanding how to keep folks from falling and injuring themselves. In a recent study published by John H. Hollman; Francine M. Kovash; Jared J. Kubik; Rachel A. Linbo entitled, Age-related Differences in Spatiotemporal Markers of  Gait Stability During Dual Task Walking, these researchers investigated the relationship between balance exercises, walking and performing dual tasks. The researchers looked at the increase in stride-to-stride variability during walking which characterizes gait instability and predicts falling in older adults. The participants who walked while performing cognitive tasks (dual task walking) is also associated with increased risk of falling. In specific, the purpose of the study was to examine whether gait velocity and stride-to-stride variability in gait velocity differ in older adults compared with middle-aged and younger adults during normal and dual task walking conditions. The results showed that across groups, gait velocity was slower (p < 0.001) and stride-to-stride variability in gait velocity was greater ( p = 0.001) in dual task walking. Older subjects walked more slowly than did middle-aged and younger subjects and the difference in gait velocity was greatest in the dual task condition (p < 0.05). Variability in stride velocity was increased in older subjects compared with middle-aged and younger subjects (p < 0.05). Additionally, in older subjects, impaired walking performance was associated with impaired cognitive performance in dual task walking. The gait changes observed in dual task walking characterize decreased gait stability and indicate that cognitively demanding tasks during walking have a destabilizing effect on gait and may place older people at a greater risk of falling. As a result,  medical researchers have suggested that practicing balance exercises is imperative to help overcome the declines in balance abilities that occur with common dual task activities.

Balance Exercises For Every Day Dual Task Activities

Performing balance exercises on a daily basis can help enhance balance abilities to avoid the risk and incidence of falling. many times throughout the day we are all engaged in dual task activities such as:

-chatting while out on a walk with a spouse or friend

-bending over while cleaning the house

-talking on the phone while cooking

-ordering the day's events in our mind while getting dressed in the morning

  These dual task activities have been proven to reduce ones balance abilities, leading to a greater risk for falling. Practicing equilibrium routines every day, however, can enhance steadiness and limit the risk of falling. By practicing stability exercises, an individual is able to strengthen the necessary balance reactions at the feet and ankles. Certain equilibrium exercises can also help to advance a person's ability to control their weight shifting during challenging balance situations. You can practice these specific balance exercises and balance techniques developed by an experienced physical therapist with the exercise for balance dvd.

Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

    To stay steady with every day activities, begin the best balance exercises, get the Exercise For Balance DVD. The Balance DVD is designed for simple use at home or in a group setting. The DVD is loaded with the best balance and strength exercises needed to enhance senior fitness and to perform basic activities like walking, standing, stair climbing or to advance to high level activities like dancing and hiking. In the Exercise For Balance DVD, you will learn how to improve balance, balance techniques and balance routines from a balance trainer --licensed Physical Therapist-- who has worked with balance and dizziness disorders for over 20 years. Get your copy of the Exercise For Balance DVD by clicking on the BUY NOW button

Improve your balance by starting balance exercises today with the Exercise For Balance DVD to improve balance and prevent falls.
For more information see http://www.mayoclinic.com/health-information/