A doctor says all it takes is a “few intentional minutes a day” to improve balance and reduce your risk of falls

Improving balance is one of the biggest concerns for many of my older personal training clients.

During recent icy weather, one of my senior clients came to her session wearing a pair of YakTrax—ice grips that fit over your regular shoes, like snow chains you put around car tyres in winter.

They’re worries are understandable. “Falls are one of the leading causes of injury worldwide, especially as we age,” internal medicine physician Dr Cristina Sciavolino-Day tells Fit&Well. “They can lead to fractures, hospitalizations, loss of independence and fear of movement afterward.

“What’s important to emphasize is that many falls are preventable.

“As a physician, I always remind my patients that balance is not something we either have or don’t have—it’s a skill, just like strength, and it can be trained at any age.

“The biggest mistake people make is thinking balance training has to be time-consuming or intimidating. It doesn’t. A few intentional minutes a day can really help to improve confidence, reduce fall risk and strengthen muscles. It just takes consistency.

“It becomes easier if you add these drills to things you are already doing like boiling water, brushing teeth, making coffee or microwaving leftovers.

“These little moments of exercise add up in a big way.”

Here’s how Sciavolino-Day suggests habit-stacking these balance drills with daily tasks.

1. Calf raises while the kettle boils

“This exercise wakes up your calves and ankles, which are some of the most important and overlooked muscles for balance,” says Sciavolino-Day.

How to do it:

• Stand by your kitchen counter for support, with your feet hip-width apart.
• Slowly lift your heels as high as you can, coming onto your toes.
• Pause at the top, then lower your heels with control.
• Let go of the counter as you get stronger and more comfortable.

2. Single-leg balance while brushing your teeth

“Balancing on one leg strengthens your deep stabilizing muscles around your hips, knees and ankles, which are the same ones that keep you from wobbling when you trip, turn, or step off a curb,” says Sciavolino-Day.

How to do it:

• From standing, carefully shift your weight onto one foot.
• Lift the other a few inches off the floor and hold this position.
• Keep your core engaged and chest upright.
• To progress this move once steady, raise and lower your knee to perform slow and controlled pulses.
• Switch sides about halfway through brushing your teeth.

3. Standing knee lift and leg extension while the microwave runs

“This exercise works on strength, stability and control. The slow, forward leg extension wakes up your hips and thighs, which are key for steadiness when stepping over things or recovering your balance after a stumble,” says Sciavolino-Day.

How to do it:

• Stand by your kitchen counter for support, with your feet together.
• Bend and raise your right knee in front of you to hip height.
• Lift your right foot in front of you, moving from your hip, keeping your leg straight.
• Return to the start with control.
• Continue, alternating movements until you have completed your desired number of reps, then repeat on the other side.
• Let go of the counter as you get stronger and more comfortable.