- eyes (see),
- muscles, skin, joints (feel)
- inner ear (hear)
Eyes
The visual system (eyes!) responds to light and is the main system for letting us know where we are in relation to everything else! This is how we know when we are upright or lying sideways.
Ears
The inner ear has several organs that detect up, down, and side to side movements and rotational movement. When it they are are functioning properly on both sides of the head , they send symmetrical information to the brain. It works with the visual system to workout if we are moving or the world is moving!
Feel
Provides us with additional information about our position. Our skin, muscles, and joints are sensitive to stretch, pressure, and movements. With any movement of the body, the receptors respond by sending impulses to the brain which then interprets these movements. This is how even with your eyes closed you can tell if your elbow is straight or bent or which way your head is turned.
The brain processes all the information from the three components and if just one of these components is impaired then keeping our balance might be more difficult. On top of this as we get older both our reaction time and the reflexes needed correct when we over-balance get slower.The good news is that several studies have shown that balance exercises can help improve it and reaction times.
A good place to start are these six simple exercises from the CSP (or you could come and join us at one of the strength and balance classes in Chichester)
More indepth information about balance and aging can be found here
The post What is Balance? first appeared on Whole Life Fitness.
The post What is Balance? appeared first on Whole Life Fitness.
Helen
Having worked in IT in London for 15 years I was made redundant in 2009. I had trained as a gym instructor whilst working and decided I would rather spend the rest of my career doing something I loved than look for another job in IT. I furthered my qualifications with a Certificate in Advanced Personal Training from the highly regarded Premier Training. Many personal trainers are generalists covering all areas of fitness but I took the decision to specialise in the over-50s and therefore went on to do a CYQ Award in Functional Training for the Independent Older Adult Level 3. My focus is on overall health rather than fitness. I believe that making small changes can have a long term positive effect on health and well-being.
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