Walking Signs And Senior Balance Exercises

Senior Balance Exercises For Safe Walking

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

Some older adults who develop a slower and slower speed of walking  have demonstrated being at a greater risk for falling and need for practicing senior balance exercises. Please see more information at   http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now Recently, medical researchers have been coming out with studies that provide an in depth look at walking in older adults. To be specific, medical researchers have been looking at the correlation between gait parameters like speed and step length and mental function. In fact scientists have shown that gait control in and of itself is a complex brain process, with recent reviews confirming the importance of the Central Nervous System to gait in non-demented older adults. Interestingly, one of the first outward signs which may suggest a cognitive impairment is a change in gait pattern.  For aging individuals, global cognition has been shown to longitudinally predict gait speed decline, so sometimes one of the first signs that we see in older folks with early onset of dementia is a slowing in that gait pattern. We also know that poor short-term memory and executive function (like memory, problem solving and task completion) have been associated with slow gait speeds during simple gait tasks, with some studies including attention and global cognition. Furthermore, early motor changes associated with aging predict cognitive decline, which suggests that there is this motor signature in gait that can be detected in pre-dementia states. In summary, often times in the physical therapy clinic, we see changes in older people's gait and thereby play a role in identifying cognitive changes, because it may be that you're the first person to notice that "motor signature" or an actual change in the gait pattern. With these changes in walking speed and coordination, these older individuals are at a greater risk for falling and getting hurt. As a result, these folks are encouraged to perform senior balance exercises on a regular basis to enhance their stability and reduce their risk for falling.

Senior Balance Exercises For walking Stability

    Older adults who are experiencing a slow down in there walking speed may be also having cognitive changes which can lead to a greater risk for falling as well as a greater need for practicing senior balance exercises every day. To help improve overall stability and coordination with walking and other movement activities, aging individuals can practice tandem walking where they walk down a hallway in a heel to toe manor along a line. Over time, rehearsing Tandem walking will build strong balance reactions at the feet and ankles. Tandem walking also helps to enhance foot placement and coordination for those in the aging population. Tandem walking also establishes steadiness to help with walking on uneven surfaces like thick carpet, grass or hiking trails. Older individuals can practice tandem walking and other senior balance exercises in the comfort of their own home by following the directions of a qualified physical therapist in the exercise for balance DVD.

Senior Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

Learn balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD

    Older individuals who seem to be walking at slower speeds are encouraged to get started on a course of the best balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD. The healthcare provider recommended Exercise For Balance DVD is a high quality instructional DVD to use at home or in a group setting. The easy to understand and simple to follow Exercise For Balance DVD includes  a step by step series of the latest balance and strength exercises necessary to optimize senior fitness and to carry out basic daily activities like shopping, doing laundry,  walking, standing, cleaning house, stair climbing or to advance to more difficult pursuits like skiing, dancing, playing golf and hiking. In the  comprehensive Exercise For Balance DVD, you will learn how to improve stability, how to apply steadiness techniques and how to safely execute 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

Walk steady 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/