Last week, I introduced you to what I refer to as the “downward spiral” of having a fall. In short, I highlighted how one isolated fall can often have life-altering consequences, ultimately including things like depression and decreased enjoyment in life.

And while this may have been a rough way to start the conversation about balance and fall prevention, I also promised to brighten things up by sharing some useful information with you about how you can improve your balance and stay active. And today, that’s just what I plan to do!

But before you set off to improve your balance, it’s vital that you understand how your balance actually works. Let’s oversimplify it before I give you too many details.

Maintaining your balance is basically a 3-step process:

->> Step #1: Your ability to sense your balance
->> Step #2: Your ability to process this sensory input
->> Step #3: Your ability to respond to this input and make adjustments

The presence of pain, such as hip pain, ankle pain or low back/sciatic pain, is one of the MOST overlooked factors related to improving your balance and reducing the likelihood of having a fall.

In this video, I’ll explain exactly how pain can throw off your balance, and I’ll also explain what you can do to reduce your pain and improve your balance, so you can stay active, mobile and independent!