Self-Check: Balance and Coordination for Sustained Health

Reviewed by: Dr. Steven Knauf, D.C.

By Genevieve Cunningham

Balance and coordination are fundamental aspects of our health and well-being. They affect everything about our movement and activity through life. Though we don’t consciously think about either of these very often, we would quickly notice if one -- or both -- took a nosedive.

Unfortunately, we sometimes lose a bit of balance and coordination as we age. And even more unfortunately, we rarely notice it until we find ourselves in a precarious situation. Suddenly, we’re tipping over when we normally wouldn’t, or we can’t quite complete a task that was once easy.

Sound familiar? If the answer is yes, it might be time to add balance and coordination self-checks to your regular routine. Routinely checking your balance may actually help you keep a little balance in your health and quality of life.

The Basics of Balance and Coordination

The sports definition of balance and coordination is the ability to maintain a controlled body position during task performance. In layman’s terms, it’s the ability to control your body while you do things. Walking along a sidewalk? Balance and coordination keep you upright. Changing a lightbulb? Balance and coordination keep you from falling over. Exercising? Balance and coordination keep you safe.

A body with good balance and coordination has a combination of a healthy vestibular system, healthy gross motor skills, healthy muscle tone, and good spatial awareness. If any of these areas suffer, balance and coordination as a whole may suffer as well.

What Causes Balance Problems?

Balance problems can be complicated. The most common causes of balance issues include medication, head injury, and inner ear problems. A cause such as medication may be temporary. Once the medication has ceased, the balance problems go away as well. Head injuries may be short- or long-term. If the head injury is a mild concussion, the balance problems may disappear as the concussion heals. Long-term head injuries may cause long-term balance issues.

Inner ear balance issues may be caused by damage to the hair cells, recurrent ear infections, inflammation of the inner ear, mild medical conditions such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or more serious conditions such as multiple sclerosis. If the inner ear is the cause of your balance issues, getting a proper diagnosis and treatment plan is essential.

What Are Signs of Balance and Coordination Problems?

Although it’s best to test your balance and coordination regularly to take note of any issues before they become a problem, life doesn’t always work that way. We often only notice issues once they’ve made life more difficult. What issues should we be watching out for? Declining balance and coordination symptoms include the following.

• Difficulty completing tasks - This is especially true if it becomes difficult to complete a task that was once easy, whether it’s walking, bending, or something more complex.
• Dizziness - Increasing dizziness in daily life may signal a problem with the vestibular system -- the sensory system that helps with balance, spatial awareness, and coordinating movements.
• Staggering - Staggering without any noticeable cause may indicate balance issues. Staggering most commonly occurs at the beginning of movement, but it can happen at any time.
• Falling - Whether you actually fall down or only feel as though you’re going to fall, either can be indicative of a problem.

If you notice these or other signs that make you suspect a problem with balance and coordination, it’s important to see your healthcare professional. They may be able to offer a diagnosis or give you tips to improve balance and coordination over time.

What Risks Come With a Loss of Balance?

It might seem like a loss of balance and coordination is no big deal or that it’s just a consequence of aging, but the truth is that a loss of balance and coordination might actually be dangerous. When balance suffers, it may come with the following risks.

• Injuries - Balance problems may lead to falls, which can cause severe injuries such as broken bones, head injuries, and more. It’s important to improve balance so that you can prevent falls and lower your risk of injury as you participate in life.
• Inactivity - You may not initially think of inactivity as a risk, but it affects everything about your health and life. If you don’t feel safe to move, you may not exercise or participate in normal activities. This can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, which then increases health risks and diminishes quality of life.
• Loss of quality of life - The more balance and coordination we lose, the more we suffer in daily life. Performing daily activities -- whether for work or play -- becomes difficult. This can lead to a diminished quality of life, and quality of life is something we hope to maintain as we age.

How Do We Self-Check Our Balance and Coordination?

Fortunately, we can self-check our balance and coordination at home. Although a professional can certainly be beneficial, at-home checks can be performed more regularly and help us recognize problems before they interrupt life too much.

• The Rhomberg test - Start with this simple test. Stand up straight with your feet together and arms crossed over your chest. Hold for 60 seconds. If it’s easy, move on to the next progression.
• Sit to stand test - Stand in front of a chair. Sit in the chair without using your hands for support and then stand back up. Do this five times. If you have trouble, seek help. If this test is also easy, you can progress to the next.
• Stand on one foot - Standing on one foot may cause you to tip a little at first, but you should be able to regain and keep your balance quickly. If you are unable to complete this task, you may need to see a healthcare professional. To keep yourself safe, consider performing this activity next to a chair or table so that you can grab it if necessary.
• Stand on one foot with your eyes closed - If you’ve already mastered standing on one foot, try it again with your eyes closed. Our eye movements can greatly affect
• Stand on one foot, close your eyes, and shake your head - If the above two activities are easy enough, try it once more, but this time gently shake your head. If this becomes difficult, it may be due to an inner ear problem.

Any time that you suspect balance or coordination problems, you should visit your healthcare professional -- be it your general practitioner, your chiropractor, or a physical therapist. They can take note of your medical history, refer you where necessary, make a diagnosis, and most importantly, make a plan of action to get you feeling your best.

How Do We Improve Balance and Coordination?

Although getting proper treatment from a healthcare professional is the best course of action, there are ways to improve balance and coordination on your own.

• Tightrope Walk -The tightrope walk is a specific exercise that targets balance. You can put tape on the ground to help you. You’ll then walk on the line, heel to toe, with your arms out for balance. Perform this activity a few times per day.
• Squats - Part of maintaining balance is maintaining strength. To strengthen the body, consider doing squats every day. You can do squats with bodyweight only, or you can add free weights to make it more challenging.
• Yoga - Yoga is an excellent practice for balance and strength. The key is to start small. Don’t jump into a challenging class. Instead, start with a beginner's class or use the modifications as often as necessary.
• Medication and other treatments - If your balance issues stem from a medical condition, you may need medication or targeted physical therapy. This is why it’s so important to reach out to your doctor. They may be able to guide you to the right treatment plan for your specific condition.

Balance and coordination greatly affect our daily lives. Everything in life is determined by balance -- our physical health, mental well-being, and quality of life. By checking and maintaining this aspect of our balance, we may be able to improve and find balance elsewhere, too. If the key to life is balance, this may be the perfect place to begin to unlock your best life yet.

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