Shuffling Gait And Senior Balance Exercises

Senior Balance Exercises For Shuffling Gait

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

  Older adults can reduce their potential for falling by avoiding a shuffling gait pattern and by practicing  senior balance exercises on a daily basis. Please see   http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now Different walking patterns can make a huge impact on mobility as well as the incidence of falling for older individuals. One such gait pattern that leads to falling includes shuffling ones feet. Aside from memory loss, shuffling (dragging, sliding, not lifting feet off the ground when walking), is a frequent cause of concern for caregivers. And, for good reason. Shuffling is a leading cause of tripping--over throw rugs and other floor hazards--and falling. Additionally, shuffling involves taking shorter steps so that a person’s feet are closer together, which gives them a smaller base of balance support and stability. This makes individuals prone to balance loss and falling. In response, many caregivers try to persuade elders to pick up their feet when walking (Walk, don’t shuffle and slide!). While encouraging individuals to pick their feet up and not shuffle sounds like good safety advice, this may not be the best approach to shuffling. In some circumstances this can actually contribute to falls. Some persons, by trying not to shuffle, may actually exceed their safe limits of walking and, as a result lose their balance. Shuffling is not an inevitable aspect of aging. Rather, shuffling is a sign or symptom of an underling problem requiring attention.  There are many reasons for shuffling; the most common include:

Muscle weakness and/or arthritis

•    Loss of muscle strength in the legs can make it difficult for persons to lift their feet when walking. Arthritis of the knees and hips (inability to fully flex one’s joints) has similar consequences.

Stooped posture
•    Increased curvature of the spine (resulting from osteoporosis) can result in a stooped or bent posture (kyphosis). This can lead to difficulty extending one’s hips and knees fully when walking, which results in an inability to pick up feet off the ground and shuffling.

Fear of falling

•    It is not unusual for elders with multiple falls to start dragging their feet or shuffling. This ‘cautionary behavior’ is caused by a ‘fear of falling’ and a lack of confidence in the person’s ability to maintain balance; the shuffling walk is intended to prevent falling. But, the exact opposite can occur; individuals increase their chance of tripping by not picking up their feet. Shuffling involves shorter steps so that a person’s feet are closer together. This gives one a shorter base of balance support or stability base, increasing the likelihood of falling.

•    Altered vision can contribute to fear of falling and shuffling. Many elders look down at the ground when they walk instead of looking forward. The reason for looking down is so that they don’t trip over anything. Consequently, the person will take small, shuffling steps.
In addition to avoiding a shuffling gait pattern, it is essential for aging individuals to perform certain senior balance exercises to aid in their steadiness.

Senior Balance Exercises

  To decrease the risk of falling when walking, you can rehearse specific senior balance exercises to enhance your stability. as an example, you can practice a combination of static and dynamic equilibrium routines by standing on one foot and swinging the other foot forwards, as if preparing to take a step. Other senior balance exercises can be performed by following the instruction of a qualified Physical Therapist in the Exercise For Balance DVD.

Senior Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

    To avoid falling from a shuffling gait, please initiate a program of the best balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD. The healthcare professional recommended Exercise For Balance DVD is an excellent educational DVD to use at home or in a group setting. The easy to understand and to follow Exercise For Balance DVD includes  a step by step series of up to date balance and strength exercises necessary to optimize senior fitness and to perform basic daily activities like shopping, doing laundry,  walking, standing, cleaning house, stair climbing or to advance to more difficult activities like skiing, dancing, bocce ball and hiking. In the  comprehensive Exercise For Balance DVD, you will learn how to improve stability, steadiness techniques and balance routines from a  qualified balance specialist --- licensed Physical Therapist---who has worked with balance and dizziness disorders for over 25 years. Get your copy of the Exercise For Balance DVD by clicking on the BUY NOW button

 Stop shuffling and start 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/