The Concept of Balance: Understanding Its Key Components

Unraveling the Concept of Balance: Understanding Its Key Components

Eyes

The visual system (eyes!) responds to light and is the main system for letting us know where we are in relation to everything else!  This is how we know when we are upright or lying sideways.

Ears

The inner ear has several organs that  detect up, down, and side to side movements and rotational movement. When it they are  are functioning properly on both sides of the head , they send symmetrical information to the brain.  It works with the visual system to workout if we are moving or the world is moving!

Feel

Provides us with additional information about our position.  Our skin, muscles, and joints are sensitive to stretch, pressure, and movements. With any movement of the body, the receptors respond by sending impulses to the brain which then interprets these movements. This is how even with your eyes closed you can tell if your elbow is straight or bent or which way your head is turned.

The brain processes all the information from the three components and if just one of these components is impaired then keeping our balance might be more difficult. On top of this as we get older both our reaction time and the reflexes needed correct when we over-balance get slower.The good news is that several studies have shown that balance exercises can help improve it and reaction times.

A good place to start are these six simple exercises from the CSP  (or you could come and join us at one of the strength and balance classes in Chichester)