- All right, this is what I wanted to do, Bob.
Follow up on another video because had such a great response
from our senior balance video.
We're gonna do another one, add a couple components,
make it even better. - You can never have enough
balance. - That's right and this one's
gonna be right up your alley.
Hold on just a few seconds.
We'll be right here. ♪ Bob and Brad ♪
♪ The two most famous ♪
♪ physical therapists on the internet ♪
- Okay, we're gonna get started.
Now, if you happen to walk with a walker,
you feel more steady with that,
I suggest you use the walker
while you do this routine.
If not, you still may want something to balance,
a cane or a cupboard in front of you or a wall.
It's not real aggressive, but it is very nice.
And it fits everyone. - Yeah, safety comes first.
- Yeah, absolutely. - Don't fall.
- You don't wanna fall practicing
our balance. - Our balance, right.
- So the first thing is simply you're gonna
be seated in a chair, a firm chair is definitely preferable.
And one with armrests is helpful,
especially if have difficulty with sit-to-stand
without pushing off.
Getting your legs strong to sit-to-stand is
a really strong component of maintaining your balance.
- That's right. - So that's the first one
we're gonna do. - Also, you have to lean
forward a bit. - Yep,
so it goes-- - Don't try to go straight up.
- Yep, yep, exactly.
Good point, Bob.
So feet, make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart
and not close together.
That's a big component of balance, okay?
So, the first thing you're gonna do if you need help,
push with the armrest off the armrest.
(laughs) That didn't make any sense.
(Bob laughs) Go ahead and do that.
There's one.
Sit back down with good control,
no plopping down.
If you plop, that means you have to have armrests
to control the descent.
Okay, now we're gonna do that five times.
If it feels easy, go to 10 times.
Some people may only need one armrest,
so this arm can be open
and then up
and back down, and you can go a little faster than this,
if you're more advanced and you feel very stable.
That's fine.
If you got, if you're-- - You wanna show advanced?
- Oh, good point, Bob, yep.
Bring your arms up like this.
That's quite a bit more challenging.
Okay, some people like it here or out here,
whatever works better for you.
And if you want to do even more advanced,
- YMCA? - Yeah.
Up like that.
Stand up tall.
Okay, again, we're repeating this.
We've already done 10 or more.
- Right. - Now we're gonna go to
the next part, and it's simply working forward
and backwards, side to side, stepping with your feet.
Now there's one thing critical.
You know, again, if you need a walker,
and you don't feel 100% steady, hands on the walker.
You might have a stick, walking stick or a cane,
or you could have a cupboard in front of you
or a piece of furniture, if you have something
to stay stable in case you lose your balance.
We don't want to have an issue.
Okay, the first thing you're gonna do is step forward
and step forward again to the other foot,
and then step back to where you were, and it's that simple.
We're gonna do that five times up to 10 times
- Go to more the forefoot. - Exactly.
So make sure you touch with your forefoot.
- Don't hit your heel. - Right.
You have much better balance
when you land with your forefoot
and your forefoot back with your forefoot,
and a lot of this is just training your body
to learn how to walk
by using your forefeet.
If you ever notice yourself on ice,
automatically you'll find
- Wow. - yourself walking on your
forefoot 'cause you're more unsteady,
and your body knows that.
So, it's a good idea to start walking that way.
Okay, do that 10 times forward and backwards.
Now we're gonna go right to left.
Doesn't matter if you start at the right
or start going to the left,
but a sidestep with your forefoot,
step to it,
back to the center,
and then to the left. - Real simple.
- Yep, you don't have
to take big steps.
As a matter of fact, I don't want you to
unless you're really a good balance,
but then you can hold onto the walker
or the piece of furniture if you need that.
The big thing is we're working on forefoot sidestepping.
Sidestepping is a good way to lose your balance and fall.
I have people in the kitchen or in the bathroom,
they sidestep, something catches,
and they lose their balance,
so this helps with that. - Or backwards
or forwards. - Yeah, yep, exactly.
Now, last but not least
is single leg balance.
This is the most difficult one.
If you don't feel comfortable with it,
- Keep your hand on the - Yeah?
- support - Right.
Either the walker or the chair or the cane or the cupboard,
whatever you have, and just balanced on one foot
for as long as you can.
Now, you may only do it for one or two seconds,
and that's fine, then go to the other foot
and balance that and then do that two or three times
on each leg, and that's it.
And we're done. - Simple.
- Yeah, again,
I'll repeat quickly, so you,
but you don't have to follow.
First thing is five to 10 sit-to-stands
at the level of resistance you want
depending on where your arms are.
Then once you're done with that,
forward and backwards on your toes,
forefeet, I should say, not your toes.
Five to 10 reps, and then right to left.
And then there's single leg balance.
- So this is fast.
You could do it a couple of times a day.
- I would recommend at least twice a day,
possibly three times a day.
Once you do it a few times, you get it memorized,
you know, you won't have to look at
Bob and I to do it. - Right, that's right.
- It'll just become a normal
routine. - We spare you.
- (laughs) Exactly.
And there's no doubt, it's gonna help
maintain or improve your balance.
Particularly, you'll notice
on the single leg balance, - Right.
- Initially, if you only can do two or three seconds,
within a week or two, you're gonna find that improve.
So that's really important.
So, Bob, - Good luck.
- Absolutely. - And we can fix about
anything - except for?
- A broken heart. - That's right.
But this has got nothing to do,
sometimes, I think there's a relative
- Are you ever gonna figure it out?
- No, Bob,
I will not
stop until - Right.
- You're right, and we're getting another chapter
in the pamphlet. - In the book.
- Yeah. - (laughs) Pamphlet.
- Take care. (laughs)
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