♪ Bob and Brad, the two most famous ♪
♪ Physical Therapists on the internet ♪
- Hi folks I'm Bob Schrupp, Physical Therapist.
- Brad Heineck, Physical Therapist.
- Together we are the most famous
physical therapists on the internet.
- In our opinion of course Bob.
- Mike's looking for the sign aren't you?
Today we're gonna talk about
how to improve your balance while walking.
Gonna show you seven simple exercises.
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So this program today
is designed that you can do it while your going for a walk
or you could do it in your own home.
You could do it with shoes on,
you could do it with shoes off.
Now we wanna emphasize that,
we always emphasize this, we want safety first.
So if you have any trouble with your balance at all
you wanna make sure you use a cane or a walking stick
or your walking next to a wall.
Something that you can hold, or a countertop,
something you can hold onto when you're doing these.
But we're also gonna show you,
by the way we got sent some of these walking sticks,
they're called Prime Stick
but they're by Dynamo, correct Mike?
- Right.
- Yeah, they're really nice,
we'll talk about 'em at the end.
Brad let's go ahead, I'm gonna get out of the way
and we're gonna go ahead and talk
them through the different exercises they can do.
- Yeah, these are really nice because they're practical,
you can do 'em, they've been kind of fun Bob.
And they're very helpful.
- What's that on the floor?
- What is that? (grunt)
My goodness. - (Bob) Alright.
- Okay, here we go!
- (Bob) You're gonna talk 'em through?
- Yeah
- (Bob) Okay good, sounds good.
- So we're gonna use the stick for help, I am.
And I'm gonna walk on my heels, you know
if you can walk with the stick up
and then if you use your balance
you immediately catch it with the stick.
So that's the first one.
- (Bob) And you can do it again,
incorporate it as your out for a walk.
People won't even notice your doing it on your heels.
I think you're walking out of frame there Brad.
- Oh, back. (laughs)
The next one, simply sidestepping.
You know, obviously make sure you have a
clear path to sidestep.
And just, sidestep
- (Bob) Remember the yellow line right there.
- Oh yeah, don't wanna walk off.
- And we got the- - (Bob) Oh sure.
- Yeah, the cone shape.
- If you're feeling comfortable with it,
go 'til your feet touch.
Its a little more challenging
and if that makes you feel wobbly,
have a space between your feet.
- (Bob) Yeah keep 'em a little apart.
- Real common way that people fall,
you know, they'll sidestep in their house
and tumble over, particularly some of the elderly people.
And what's the next one Bob?
Oh this one's a tough one!
- (Bob) Yeah this is a tough one.
- Yeah, the karaoke, or sometimes known as the grape vine.
Which, here, and I use this a lot with patients
as we progress them.
Sometimes we start parallel bars but,
you know, hopefully that you are at a position
where you can do this.
- (Bob) You're really getting a lot of ankle movement
and ankle strengthening with this.
- If you had a hip replacement
you're not gonna do this one
unless you get permission from your doctor.
- (Bob) This is one that you see,
you know, young people do it at a higher speed.
- Yeah.
- (Bob) Football players do it, yep.
- Yeah, so, and this one is a little confusing
for some people.
I always say put it in front, my right foot,
and then you gotta put it behind.
- (Bob) So 'ya alternate.
- Either way your gonna challenge your balance
and you don't have to get to concerned about it.
- (Bob) Alright Brad, the one that you missed,
while your walking you wanna
look up and down and side to side.
- Oh yes.
This is really common, that people lose their balance.
I work with patients and quite often they get distracted
and they turn quickly and they lose their balance,
its something you really need to work on.
- Right
- (Bob) And be aware of, so looking down,
looking up, and then when your in the park and doing this
people will be looking, "what is he looking at?"
They'll be curious to see what you're doing.
- And make sure that you got a clear path for a ways
so you don't bump into a tree or something.
- (Bob) Alright, number six is marching, Brad.
- Ah, yep, so you start out slow,
you know, knees coming up low.
We'll go profile.
- (Bob) And you can march while you're moving too.
- Sure - (Bob) March forward.
- Yep, I don't wanna go off, you know.
- (Bob) Right
- You know, backwards is probably not such a good idea,
'cause you don't have eyes behind your head.
- (Bob) That'd be a little more difficult too.
- Yep, so yeah you can walk with marching or stationary.
- (Bob) And then the final one is a strengthening one,
this strengthens a lot of the muscles
that you use in balance and its just air squats.
So, yep, just doing some squats.
And if you don't feel safe, you could do it with
a park bench behind 'ya or a chair behind 'ya.
- Sure, right.
- (Bob) And it'll start strengthening some of those
larger muscles that you use for balance.
- Yeah, so, you wanna not do this,
this could be a common mistake, I've had people.
So its good, tall, posture and then just, down.
Again, as far as you feel comfortable, not too deep.
- So again, we have the Prime Stick here by Dynamo.
Really nice stick, it's got a excellent tip on the bottom.
- Mmm hmm
- So it really grabs on, it's wider based.
- Yep - I actually think it,
didn't you even have it balancing the other day Brad?
- Oh yeah!
- Its not gonna balance on carpet,
and even on a regular floor it takes a little bit
but it does stand there.
- Yep
- And its very light weight,
and you wanna show the adjustment on it Brad?
- You just rotate it a turn or so
and very easily adjust for different heights.
Even someone as tall as Bob, a six and a half footer,
its fine, works well.
And I don't know how short that-
- Got the handles on it too,
you know, the little straps.
- I like the strap, this is adjustable
actually the strap here.
Its nice, I really like that.
- Yeah, you know why I like walking sticks Brad?
Because, to me, and this is what we did with my wife
when she actually hurt her knee.
You don't wanna walk around with a cane,
even when your older you know what I mean?
- Ah yes.
- But a walking stick, you know, kinda looks like your just
maybe going hiking or something like that,
its a lot more accepted. - They're cool!
- They're a lot more cool, they're a lot more acceptable.
You can walk around, you know,
even indoors it just seems to be not the stereotypical
cane or walker that you're gonna.
- Exactly.
- Might get people asking still, what's wrong with 'ya but-
- And if your could use one in each hand
and you walk like this,
it actually works your shoulders a little bit more
and gives you a little more of a workout.
- Well it keeps you in better posture too, walking sticks
- Yeah that too.
- You don't bend over as much.
So, alright thanks everybody for watching!