Senior Balance Exercises And Walking Differently

Senior Balance Exercises & Differing Gait Patterns

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

The importance of practicing senior balance exercises every day for older adults has been researched by medical professionals. Please see   http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now Healthcare workers have identified the necessity for folks in the aging population to be intentional on performing stability routines consistently to overcome the natural gait pattern deviations that occur with aging. Watelain E, Barbier F, Allard P, Thevenon A, Angué J-C. studied  gait patterns in elderly people in their report, Gait pattern classification of healthy elderly men based on biomechanical data, to investigate the changing patterns of walking in older individuals. The researchers set out to distinguish the gait patterns of young subjects from those of elderly men using three-dimensional (3D) gait data, to determine if elderly subjects displayed other than a typical gait pattern, and to identify which parameters best describe them.  Their subjects included a mixed group consisting of 16 able-bodied elderly subjects (mean age, 62yrs) and 16 able-bodied young subjects aged between 20 and 35 years. The researchers results determined that the walking patterns in elderly subjects were found to be different from those of the young adults. Three elderly gait families or groups forming a specific gait pattern were identified, and differences were found in the phasic and temporal parameters as well as in 6 peak muscle powers. Four of the peak powers occurred in the sagittal plane, and half of them were related to the hip. The researchers were able to conclude that biomechanical parameters can be used to classify the gait patterns of young and elderly men using cluster analysis rather than age alone. The muscle powers in elderly subjects are perturbed throughout the gait cycle and not only at push-off. It appears that the plane in which the peak powers occurred was related to their occurrence in the gait cycle.

Senior Balance Exercises Can Help With Walking

Practicing senior balance exercises and lower extremity strength exercises is important to counteract the natural changes that occur in walking as we age. The study above details how as we age our gait pattern changes, resulting in reduced muscle power in the legs. Additionally, researchers have determined that as we grow older our balance abilities diminish with both standing and walking activities, resulting in a greater incidence of falling and injuries from falls. Since gait patterns in our older years change to smaller step length and lower muscle force production, it is imperative to rehearse equilibrium routines that include static and dynamic exercises that replicate movement patterns for walking. Now, you can practice appropriate senior balance exercises and strengthening exercises developed by an experienced physical therapist in the convenience of your own home with the exercise for balance dvd.

Senior Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

    To keep walking safely, begin the best balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD. The Balance DVD is professionally filmed and easy to use at home or in a group setting. The step by step DVD flows 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

Be safe with walking 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/