Fall prevention with core strength: Three exercises to try
As we age, even a minor fall can be debilitating. If you've been worrying about the dangers of taking a tumble, it may be time to take up core strengthening exercises.
Having strong abdominal, back, pelvic, and buttock muscles — what's known as your core — can help you maintain good posture and improve your balance. Try adding these three core-strengthening moves to your exercise routine for better balance.
Opposite arm and leg raise
Starting position: Kneel on all fours, knees hip-width apart. Align your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Keep your head and spine in alignment.
Movement: Extend your right leg off the floor behind you while reaching your left arm out in front of you. Try to raise your extended leg and arm parallel to the floor. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position, then repeat with your left leg and right arm. Do these two to four times on each side. Rest 30 to 90 seconds and repeat the entire set.
Bridge
Starting position: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Place your arms at your sides. Relax your shoulders against the floor.
Movement: Tighten your abdominal muscles and your buttocks, press your heels into the floor, and lift your hips off the floor as high as is comfortable, or until they are in line with your shoulders and knees. Keep your hips even and spine neutral. Hold for five seconds. Return to the starting position. Do these eight to 12 times. Rest 30 to 90 seconds and repeat the entire set.
Plank
Starting position: Begin on your hands and knees.
Movement: Tighten your abdominal muscles and lower your upper body onto your forearms, with your hands clasped and your shoulders directly over your elbows. Extend both legs with your feet flexed and toes touching the floor, so that you balance your body in a line like a plank. Hold for 15 to 60 seconds. Rest 30 to 90 seconds and repeat one to three times.
For more information on how to prevent falls, read Preventing Falls: Strategies to maintain health, strength, balance, and a safe home environment, an Online Guide from Harvard Medical School.
Image: Vesnaandjic/Getty Images
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