Balance Exercises

1. Balance standing feet together

Stand in front of a counter.
Place your feet as close together as possible.
Try to keep standing in this position without holding on.

2. Standing on foam

Stand in front of a counter on a foam or pillow. Place your feet as close together as possible. Try to keep standing in this position without holding on.

3. Standing eyes closed

Stand in front of a counter on a foam or pillow.
Place your feet as close together as possible.
Once you are steady, close your eyes and try to keep standing without holding on.

4. Wide tandem

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other like taking a step. Try to keep standing without holding on.

5. Wide tandem eyes closed

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other like taking a step. Once you are steady, close your eyes and try to keep standing without holding on.

6. Wide tandem foam

Stand in front of a counter on a foam or pillow.
Place your feet one in front of the other like taking a step. Try to keep standing without holding on.

7. Wide tandem foal eyes closed

Stand in front of a counter on foam or pillow.
Place your feet one in front of the other like taking a step. Once you are steady, close your eyes and try to keep standing without holding on.

8. Tandem (touch)

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Apply a very light touch on the counter.

9. Tandem (unsupported)

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Try to keep standing without holding on.

10. Tandem eyes closed (touch)

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Once you are steady, close your eyes and apply a light touch on the counter.

11. Tandem eyes closed (unsupported)

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Once you are steady, close your eyes and try to keep standing without holding on.

12. Wide tandem, head turn

Stand in front of a counter.
Place your feet one in front of the other like taking a step.
Try to turn your head from right to left while standing without holding on.

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13. Wide tandem, head turn, eyes closed

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other like taking a step. Once you are steady, close your eyes and turn your head from side to side while trying not to hold on.

14. Tandem , head turn

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Turn your head from side to side without holding on.

15. Tandem, head turn, eyes closed

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Once you are steady, close your eyes turn your head from side to side without holding on.

16. Squat feet together

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet as close together as possible. In this position, try to keep bending your knees and then straightening them without holding on.

17. Squat, feet together, eyes closed

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet as close together as possible.
Once you are steady, close your eyes and in this position, try to keep bending your knees and then straightening them without holding on.

18. Squat, wide tandem

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other like taking a step.
In this position, try to keep bending your knees and then straightening them without holding on.

19. Squat, tandem

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. In this position, try to keep bending your knees and then straightening them without holding on.

20. Squat, tandem, eyes closed

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Once you are steady, close your eyes. In this position, try to keep bending your knees and then straightening them without holding on.

21. Sway standing

Stand in front of a counter.
Place your feet as close together as possible.
Try to sway in this standing position forward and backward without holding on.

22. Sway standing, eyes closed

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet as close together as possible.
Once you are steady, close your eyes and try to keep standing while swaying without holding on.

23. Tandem sway

Stand in front of a counter.
Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front heel touches the toes of the back foot.
Transfer your weight front to back while maintaining your balance without holding on.

24. Tandem sway, eyes closed

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Once you are steady, close your eyes and sway your body without holding on.

25. Tandem , swing arms

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Swing your arms without holding on.

26. Tandem, swing arms, eyes closed

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Once you are steady, close your eyes and swing your arms without holding on.

27. Single leg stance

Stand in front of a counter. Lift one leg off the ground so as to stand on one foot. Try to keep standing without holding on

28. Single leg stance (eyes closed)

Stand in front of a counter. Place your feet one in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot. Once you are steady, close your eyes and try to keep standing without holding on.

29. Single leg stance, head turn

Stand on one leg next to a wall, a countertop, or a table for safety.
Try to turn your head from right to left-as if you were saying “no”-while standing without holding on.

30. Marching in place (pillow)

Stand on a pillow and march on the spot, slowly lifting your knees toward the ceiling.

31. Marching in place , eyes closed

Stand near a wall and close your eyes. Walk in place, taking high steps. Open your eyes, and check that you are still in the same spot that you started from. Repeat.

32. Walking in tandem

Walk in a straight line with your feet directly one in front of the other.
Place your arms in the following position:
1-Out on the side (easier)
2-Along your side (normal)
3-Crossed on your chest (harder)

33. Walking in tandem with eyes closed

Stand with your eyes closed. Walk 10 steps placing one foot directly in front of the other in line so that the heel of the front foot touches the toes of the back foot.

34. Cat walk

Walk sideways and cross your leg in front only of the support leg.
Repeat toward the opposite direction.

35. Figure 8 walking (staring at the target)

Start in standing facing a wall with a target on it at eye-level. Make sure to do this exercise in a clear room so you don’t run into anything.
Walk while doing a figure 8 (as if an 8 was traced on the floor) while maintaining your gaze on the target. Walk at a comfortable and continuous pace.
When you do the ‘u-turns’, bring your head and your eyes on target as quick as possible.
Start by 2-3 turns and take a break.
PROGRESSIONS:
1- Increase your walking speed.
2- Increase the visual complexity of the target.
3- Add a background noise for a distraction.
4- Add a cognitive task such as a countdown that skips 3 while doing the figure 8.

• If the task is too difficult, put a heavy backpack on your shoulders.