A grip on stability

There are times in your life when feeling a little off-balance may actually be a good thing. Take it from the experts.

Research suggests it's worth taking steps to slow the decline in your balance.

Loss of balance makes us vulnerable to falls — it is the fifth leading cause of death among people aged 65 and above, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

An increasing number of physicians, physical therapists and personal trainers advocate exercises designed to challenge the complex system of reflexes that governs our stability and spatial orientation.

Roger Yasin, a personal trainer in Arlington, Virginia, said many of his clients often underestimate how important balance is to navigating daily hazards — from escalators to uneven sidewalks and grassy hills.

“People don't think of balance when they think of personal training. It's mostly diet or weight loss.''

Yasin and others recommend including exercises that address your balance. It also helps you lose weight. “Since you are trying to stabilise your body, you're using multiple muscle groups and can burn more calories,'' he said.

Yasin said people should start by balancing on the floor with one foot before progressing to challenging equipment.

The following are a few products aimed at different levels of fitness and expertise. Consult your trainer or your doctor before choosing the one that's right for you.

Balance pads

These look like thick gymnastics mats but feel softer. The instability created by the pad's foam surface increases as the user puts more weight on it. It can be used for exercise and coordination training.

Performing lunges, pushups or sit-ups on a balance pad improves overall strength and stability. By placing two pads one on top of the other, the user can create greater instability for a tougher workout.

BOSU Balance Trainer

BOSU stands for “Both Sides Utilised''. This product resembles a half ball — one side is flat and the other domed.

It can be used for cardioworkouts, balance-building workouts or yoga. Users can sit, stand or squat on the curved side and sit or try pushups on the flat side — all the while trying to maintain balance as the ball moves.

DynaDisc

Yasin says the squishy surface of this circular, air-filled mat makes his clients feel as if they're stepping on a deflated football.

People can sit, stand or lie on the disc to improve posture and balance. The DynaDisc is quite stable, since it can't roll away, and comes in different sizes.

Users can perform curls or other moves, standing on the disc to strengthen core muscles. They can change the inflation level of the disc and stand with one under each foot to make balancing more difficult.

Bongo Board

Styled almost like a skateboard, this balance board is the most difficult to use. It challenges the user to keep the board steady over a rolling wheel. It can also be used for pushups to strengthen core muscles.

iSole insole

These insoles are inspired by the Nasa technology that helps astronauts keep their balance in space. It could be available in 18 months and cost about $100 (Dh367).

“Standing on a pillow, walking on grass as opposed to on concrete or looking around while walking as opposed to looking straight — these are things that improve balance,'' said Kristine Legters, a physical therapist.

The message is clear: To maintain your stability as you get older, you need to throw yourself off-balance once in a while.

Tailor-made for the elderly

Most people don't want to leave their houses as they get older. Recently, a retirement community in McLean, Virginia, unveiled a suite that has been adapted and equipped to make that goal possible.

Some elements in Vinson Hall's Suite 238 could be transferred more easily than others into an ordinary home.

But the renovation project offers reminders of where potential problems lie, along with examples of simple innovations that could inspire anyone hoping to redo their own living space.

Previously a 520-square-foot, 1960s efficiency apartment with thresholds that could cause nasty falls and a narrow bathroom entrance that couldn't accommodate walkers or wheelchairs, the apartment was under reconstruction for a year.

It now features many of the usual adaptations for the elderly, such as grab bars and shower seating, as well as rare ones such as remote-controlled window shades and countertops with easily visible edges.

Among the additions are recliners that angle forward to help someone move independently from a sitting to a standing position.

The staff wanted to create a space that would allow residents to “age in place and preserve their dignity'', said Judy Bowes, Vinson Hall's administrator.

The new design focuses on preventing falls, which are the leading cause of death from injury.

The apartment was reconfigured by Moira Leite of M Quinn Designs in Annandale, Virginia, to remove features that can cause falls, such as lamps with cords, and replace them with recessed lighting.

She also avoided floor coverings such as rugs, which could cause someone to trip.

Leite added elements to prevent problems that might lead to falls. The kitchen's continuous Corian countertops, for example, have bevelled edges in a contrasting colour, which clearly denotes the end of the counter for anyone whose eyesight is impaired.

Corian is heat-resistant, so some dishes can be slid from stovetop to the dining counter rather than be picked up and carried.

This can reduce the chances of spilling the contents on the floor, which could lead a person to slip and fall.

Some elements of the renovation are appealing, regardless of one's physical ability or age.

The suite aims to showcase universal design and possibilities for equipping your home so it ages with you, said Marcia Twomey, Vinson Hall's director of development.

Good lighting, for example, is crucial for safety but it can also make tasks easier to perform. Shadows can be deathtraps in bathrooms and stairwells. Well-lit spaces improve the quality of life, Leite said.

The new suite's bathroom includes incandescent and fluorescent lighting.

A combination of both help improve visibility for those with cataracts and macular degeneration, Leite said.

Incandescent light mimics sunlight and produces less task-lighting glare. And fluorescent bulbs produce a broader spectrum of ambient light.

Erasing or easing the obstacles that sometimes send people to a hospital, assisted living facility or a nursing home may prove popular.

A 2006 poll by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) of people aged 50 and above found that “89 per cent like where they're living and want to stay there as long as possible''.

It's better not to wait for things to go wrong. Incorporating smart design elements can make life easier, not only for the elderly but also for the other members of the family.

— By Kathleen Hom/Los Angeles Times- Washington Post News Service