3 Easy Ways to Improve Your Single Leg Balance
Have you every thought you should improve your single leg balance? Single leg balance is an important marker of physical function. Having lower performance on a single leg balance test is associated with an increased risk of all cause mortality (the risk of dying of any cause).
A research article published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2022 found that among 51 to 75 year old people, the people who couldn’t stand on one leg for 10 seconds had a 118% higher risk of dying after adjusting for age (older people are already at a higher baseline risk of dying than younger people).
They were also significantly more likely to have obesity, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and high blood pressure than people who could stand on one leg for 10 seconds or longer. Since these are all highly associated with being less active, this suggests that the ability to stand on one leg is likely an important marker of physical function and a persons ability to stay active enough to prevent them from occurring.
Importantly, after adjusting for age and these other conditions, people who couldn’t stand on one leg for 10 seconds still had an 84% higher risk of dying than those who could. This suggests that maintaining the ability to stand on one leg improves your ability to survive even beyond the benefits we get from preventing diabetes, obesity, coronary artery disease, and high blood pressure.
Can you stand on one leg for 10 seconds? If you can’t, how can you improve your single leg balance? Here are 3 easy exercises to start.
Standing hip abduction
A major factor we often see that contributes to decreased single leg balance is weakness in the hip abductor muscles. This exercise is designed to help strengthen them.
You can stand at a kitchen counter or facing a wall. A barbell is not necessary.
- Stand tall and keep your spine straight.
- Slowly kick your leg diagonally back and to the side. You should feel the side of your glutes start to work.
- Hold this for 5 seconds.
- Be sure to make sure you aren’t leaning to the side and try to avoid arching your back.
- Do 2-3 sets of 10 reps.
- If this gets to be easy, progress by adding an exercise band in a loop around your ankles to add resistance.
Assisted Single Leg Balance
This exercise is pretty straight forward. You are challenging your single leg balance while using your fingers to give you a bit of assistance.
You can use a counter top for this. A barbell is not necessary.
Use 2 fingers to press onto the countertop. This gives you a point of contact to help you balance while you lift one leg off the floor. If this is easy, reduce to 1 finger and gradually try to decrease the pressure you are putting into the countertop.
Start with a 10 second hold 10 times. Progress to 20 second holds 5 times. Do this exercise 2-3 times a day for the best results. You are trying to teach you nervous system how to regain control. For motor learning exercises like this, more frequency improves the speed of learning.
Single leg derotation press
Sometimes difficulty with core muscle activation in the standing position can contribute to balance issues. This exercise uses a band to provide the extra point of contact while adding an element of core activation.
There should be some tension on the band making you try to resist rotating your body. Hold the band just far enough off your belly to create this tension.
Start with a 10 second hold 10 times and try to work up to a 20 second hold 5 times.
None of these exercises should hurt. Some muscle soreness the next day can be normal.
If you’ve tried these and you’re not making progress, we can help you!
At Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine in Alexandria and Springfield, VA, our physical therapists are experts at helping people improve their balance.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here to request an appointment.
A member of our team will schedule you an appointment with one of our expert physical therapists.
Why is it important for you to improve your single leg balance?
- If you have poor single leg balance your are less likely to be physically active, leading to chronic disease.
- Decreased balance increases your risk of falling and fractures.
- Decreased single leg balance may increase your risk of dying from all causes.
Starting a program to increase your balance can:
- Improve your performance when playing sports with friends
- Reduce your risk of falling
- Help you stay physically active and healthy throughout your life
If you want an expert to listen to your unique problems and guide you to success, a Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine physical therapist in Alexandria or Springfield, VA will create a plan specifically for you.
You’ll feel confident that you have the knowledge and ability to stay active and do all the things you want.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here to schedule your appointment and get started.
Working to keep you living your best life,
The Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Team