Why is My Balance Getting Worse? - Balance and Aging Explained

Does it seem like your balance is getting worse as you age? Why is this? Many senior citizens think that poor balance is just another side effect of aging. But if this is true, then how do you explain the fact that there are a lot of people in their seventies and eighties who are still quite active and have good balance?

If old age was really the cause of poor stability, then everyone over a certain age would have balance issues, and that's simply not the case. I believe, instead, that deteriorating balance is the body's natural response to a lifestyle that doesn't "exercise" your sense of balance regularly. Think about that for a moment.

You've probably heard the old cliché "use it or lose it" used in regards to health and fitness. The idea is that if you don't use your muscles, they wither away and lose strength. Likewise, if you don't exercise your heart, your endurance suffers. The body adapts to the demands placed on it.

It's the same story with balance. If your daily life doesn't use your sense of balance very much, that sense will get worse. By living a sedentary lifestyle, you are essentially telling your body and brain, "I don't need good balance." Your body will adapt accordingly.

This is the story for too many people. After retirement, they become less and less active. After years and years of slaving away in the workforce, people think they have earned a little relaxation. I agree completely, but what exactly does that relaxation entail?

For some, it's playing with grandkids, traveling around the world, playing golf and tennis, or going to the health club to exercise. For others it's playing cards, doing crossword puzzles, watching television, reading the newspaper, and going out to eat.

Do you notice any difference between these two groups of people? The first group is doing things that require a lot more movement. The second group is mostly doing things that involve sitting. In the meantime, the active group is exercising their sense of balance. The other group is not. Fast-forward ten years, and the active group is probably going to have much better balance than the sedentary group.

So how do you make sure you are in the active group? Move! Join a health club. Babysit. Walk daily. Do your own cleaning and lawn work. Take the stairs. Practically anything that is done standing or moving will exercise your balance. Sitting will not.

Evaluate your daily activities, and think about how many of them are done in a seated position versus how many of them involve standing and moving. Next, ask yourself how you can introduce more movement into your daily life. And understand that your level of activity now is ultimately going to influence the quality of your balance in the future.