Balance Tips and Tricks #2 with Playwork too!
In the last Balance Tips & Tricks blog post (https://mewithlauriebb.com/balance-tips-and-tricks-1-with-a-homework-assignment/ and video presentation), I defined balance as the ability to keep the body’s center of mass within the limits of the base of support. This includes both static and dynamic movement parameters.
Although physiological changes occur with aging, including changes to the three main systems (visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive) that work together helping us keep our body within the limits of the base of support, I’m curious about how practice, particularly practicing movement affects aging and balance.
Practice moving? Let’s define that.
When I say “practice” I’m speaking about all the things I am currently spending time most days doing with a mindful intention. I practice yoga asana, I practice running, I practice strength training, I practice eating a specific way, I practice not saying unnecessary things to my family, I practice training my dog, I practice letting go of expectations of being perfect…. The list of what I practice changes, but to me practice is about continuing to do things over and over in a mindful way so that change or adaptation can occur.
So practice encompasses a lot of stuff.
And what I practice changes based on my health, my time, my interest…..And let’s be honest, there are lots of things I don’t make time for in the 24 hours allocated to each day I’m given on this planet. But I think investing in practicing movement every day is a worthwhile investment with a multitude of payoffs!!!
One kind of movement practice is balance activity.
Totally worth a few minutes of our time every day.
If we all did some daily balance “playwork” we might actually enjoy it (?), end up feeling more capacity about our movement ability, keep our balance in situations that seem kind of hard, develop mobility and stability in new and different ways, and ultimately expose the three balance sensory systems (visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive) to new stimulus, helping us create adaptation via neuroplastic change. (neuroplastic change = good!)
Although I’m going to keep giving you PLAYWORK assignments, there are a few things you can do to help with balance – be barefoot when you can, walk on surfaces that change, move big and try new things, reach for things with the non-dominant hand, notice how you get down to the floor and change that up, try everyday tasks in new and different ways, get outside and move in nature as much as possible.
And… play with changing your base of support so that your central and peripheral nervous systems have to have a more in depth conversation. See the last Balance T & T for defining central and peripheral nervous system and the way they “talk” (https://mewithlauriebb.com/balance-tips-and-tricks-1-with-a-homework-assignment/)
In the video below, I am “walking the plank” – walking heel to toe. Here are some things to look for:
- Notice how this activity narrows the base of support.
- Try to lift the back leg up before putting it down in front of the standing foot. This gives the standing foot/leg an opportunity to build stability/adapt to holding you upright by itself (single leg stance).
- Concentrate on rolling through the foot, heel to toes, as it comes down to the ground – first the heel “strikes”, next the lateral (outer) border of the foot makes contact and as it becomes weight bearing there will be a pronation (rolling towards center) of the foot and ankle to land you fully on the foot.
- As your weight is shifting onto the front foot, the rear foot has to bend, creating the necessary bend at the big toe to push off the ground – try not to miss that crucial moment of big toe activity. When we begin to shuffle in our walking the big toe does not get the movement parameters it needs to inform everything above it (ankle, knee, hip, pelvis, spine, trunk).
- Then walk backwards rolling toe to heel.
Your Playwork this week is to decide when and were you will walk the plank. For instance you can walk the plank each time you move from the counter where you are prepping dinner to the fridge, or you can walk the plank from the living room to the kitchen each time you get up to get a snack, or you can walk the plank from your front door to your bike or car.
Choose a “walk the plank” destination and practice it each time you walk in that area. Remember, what you do is what you do. What you practice is what you practice. Don’t expect to be exceptionally good at anything you don’t do or practice, right
