Why Balance Is So Important as You Age—Plus 10 Ways to Boost It

From preventing falls to boosting athleticism, having strong balance is key for a host of reasons. If you could benefit from knowing how to improve balance, you're in good company: A 2016 survey reported that nearly 37 million American adults—about 15.5 percent of the population—faced balance challenges in the previous year.

The positive news: Balance is a "trainable skill," says Kellen Scantlebury, DPT, CSCS, founder of Fit Club NY, and there are many simple activities you can do to bolster this ability.

What Is Balance?

Balance is your "ability to keep your body positioned over your base of support, which is usually your feet," says Rachel Prusynski, PT, DPT, PhD, a board-certified clinical specialist in neurologic physical therapy and spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association. There are three main body systems that contribute to balance, vision, sensation (especially in your feet and ankles), and the vestibular system (this includes your inner ear, which tells your brain how your body is moving through space), she says.

As we age, our balance can decline, but the best way to maintain and improve it is by doing physical activity, says Prusynski. "Some types of exercises are better than others for balance and falls prevention," she says. With that in mind, we tapped three physical therapists to learn the most effective ways to train and improve your balance.

Enroll in a Dance Class

Exercises involving speed are very important for balance, says Prusynski. "Think about how you have to quickly take a step to adjust when you trip over something—fast movements are some of the first movements that get challenging as we age,” she says. One form of exercise that incorporates speed—and thus is great for balance training—is dancing. Indeed, a small 2021 study of young women concluded that dancing often for several years boosts static balance.

"Not only is dancing fun, but the moves are often quick, and dance classes incorporate a lot of quick direction changes to make sure you improve your ability to correct a loss of balance in any direction," she says.

So whether it’s Zumba, line dancing, or hip hop, sign up for a class at your local fitness center. Or, consider these dance facilities across the country. 

Take Up Boxing

Another form of fitness great for balance is boxing. "Boxing classes involve footwork but also speed and strength, and have the added benefit of being great for your cardiovascular health," says Prusynski. 

A 2019 study involving older adults at risk of falling found that those who completed a four-week Thai boxing dance program improved their balance significantly more than those who received a fall prevention booklet. A separate 2011 study of six adults with Parkinson’s concluded that doing regular boxing sessions over 12 weeks helped improve balance, as well as gait, activities of daily living, and quality of life.

Stand With Your Eyes Closed

Vision is one of the main components of balance. "We rely tremendously on vision to let us know where we are," says Scanltlebury. So when you take vision out of the equation, you have to really utilize your body’s sensory cells to understand your location in space, he says. That’s the basis behind this drill: By closing your eyes, you help train these sensory cells and thus improve your balance abilities. 

Here’s how it works: Stand with your feet about hip-distance apart and shut your eyes, trying to stay as stable as possible. Hold for 10 seconds to start and work your way up to 45 seconds. For safety’s sake, make sure there’s a nearby stable surface you can grab onto if needed. Try this drill every day, if your schedule allows. 

Take a Walk Outdoors

Walking is an excellent form of low-impact cardio, but strolling outdoors provides an added balance challenge compared to walking indoors on a treadmill or track. "Any time you have to manage a distraction or an obstacle, your body has to adjust, and these reactive movements are the same types of movements that you use to react from a loss of balance to avoid a fall," says Prusynski. 

To start, she suggests walking as quickly as you comfortably can for at least 30 minutes. Gradually up the challenge by attempting to navigate more crowded paths or uneven surfaces like grass and unpaved trails.

Try Tai Chi

If speed-centric exercises like boxing, dancing, or fast-paced walking are too difficult or unsafe for you to try, you can still work your balance with less challenging forms of movement, says Prusynski. One such example: tai chi. This ancient Chinese tradition "involves controlled, slow movements with an emphasis on core stability and direction-changing steps," she says. 

"Tai chi classes are accessible for older adults and have a lot of evidence on improving balance and preventing falls, even for people who have a history of falling," Prusynski says. For example, a 2017 study of older adults found that a 12-week tai chi program significantly reduced participants’ fall risk. And a 2018 study, also of older adults, concluded that an eight-week tai chi program improved balance and reduced fear of falling. 

Practice Tandem Standing

For a simple balance exercise you can do at home, stand with one foot directly in front of another—like you’re walking on a tightrope—and try to hold still in that position, says Scantlebury, who describes this as a "moderate way to challenge your balance." It’s a good idea to perform this next to a countertop or wall so you can rest your hand on one of those surfaces for support, if needed. 

Aim to balance this way for 10 seconds to start, then gradually increase the duration until you can hold the position for up to 45 seconds, says Scantlebury. You can do this exercise every day. To crank up the challenge even more, try maintaining this stance while completing everyday tasks, like brushing your teeth, cooking dinner, or unhooking your bra, he adds. 

Narrow Your Base of Support

Another at-home balance exercise, this drill involves standing upright with your feet positioned close together and holding that stance. "The wider your base of support, the more balance you have, the more narrow your base of support, the less balance you tend to have," says Scantlebury. So by simply standing with a narrow base of support, you can challenge and thus improve your balance.

As with the previous drill, rest your hand against a wall or countertop for support as needed. Start with 10 seconds and ultimately try to hold for 45 seconds. Again, you can do this every day and increase the difficulty by performing it while completing daily tasks. 

Try Single-Leg Balance Drills

The term "balance drill" probably conjures an image of a person standing on one leg. And while, yes, this classic exercise can be a good way to enhance your balance, there are many ways to modify it to be more challenging, dynamic, and fun. 

Start by standing on one leg for 30 seconds while doing everyday activities like cleaning dishes, waiting in line at the grocery store, or brushing your teeth, says Nicole Haas, PT, DPT, founder of Boulder Physiolab. Once that feels easy, up the ante by tapping your elevated foot and/or one hand in different directions: to the front, diagonally, to the side, and behind you. This will challenge your center of gravity while also working on dynamic muscle control and mobility, says Haas. 

From there, keep one foot elevated and try turning your head in different directions to throw off your vestibular system, says Haas. Or close your eyes to remove your visionary aid. You can also switch up the surface. Instead of standing on hardwood, which is very stable, try holding a single-leg stance on carpet, a foam pad, or atop a BOSU ball, says Haas. 

"There are lots of different ways to add a challenge to a simple single-leg stance to make it dynamic, or to challenge all the different systems involved with being able to stand on that foot and maintain that upright position," she explains.

Try these single-leg drills while barefoot (which will help better train the nerves that tell you where you are in space) and with shoes on (which better translates to day-to-day activities), says Haas. Just be sure to stay safe by having a person or stable object nearby that you can grab on to for support if needed.

Incorporate Unilateral Strength Moves

If you already have a strength routine in place, maximize your gym time by incorporating exercises that work both strength and balance. One easy way to do so is to include more single-leg (unilateral) movements. By choosing exercises where just one leg is doing most of the work instead of both—like a reverse lunge vs. a squat, or a single-leg deadlift vs. traditional double-legged deadlift—"you have to move through space with dynamic control and dynamic balance at the same time that you’re working on strength," says Haas.

Get Regular Health Checks

Since vision is such an important piece of balance, make sure you stay on top of your eye health by completing your annual eye exams and donning prescription eyewear as directed. A lot of balance-related fall issues can be simply addressed by getting proper assistance with eye issues, says Scantlebury. 

Also worth noting: "Conditions like type 2 diabetes are one of the leading causes of nerve damage that lead to balance impairments," says Prusynski. So don’t neglect the importance of lifestyle choices like getting frequent blood sugar checks at your yearly medical appointments and generally eating healthy, she says.