This 30-Second Habit Can Improve Your Balance

Standing on your own two feet might be no problem. Lift one up to balance, though, and you might have a few concerns.Fortunately, there are ways to get a leg up on better balance. “Balance is not a trait—it’s a skill,” says Dr. Cory Calendine, an orthopedic surgeon at the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee. One way to practice: Stand beside a sturdy counter, lift one foot, and work toward holding the position for 30 seconds before switching sides.Staying upright can be surprisingly humbling. “It’s free, it’s simple, but it’s also honest, brutally honest,” Calendine says. “It’s a good assessment of where you are.”Here’s why it’s worth practicing, plus how to get started.The benefits of standing on one legYou might not give your balance much thought, but it helps get you through the day—from stepping into the shower to climbing upstairs when you get home from work. Even walking down the sidewalk involves briefly supporting yourself on one foot with every step.There’s a lot going on to keep you from tipping over: Your brain processes information from your eyes, inner ear, and sensory nerves, while your muscles help keep you steady. When you lift one foot, for example, the muscles along the outside of your standing hip help keep your pelvis level. “All of these things are being coordinated for you to stand in one position without falling,” Calendine says.Your balance can improve with practice: A review of 13 studies found that single-leg balance training improved balance performance in healthy adults. Calendine suggests working toward 30 seconds on each side, starting with however long you can safely manage.Still, preventing falls takes more than good balance—you also need strong muscles to support you. A large Cochrane review found that exercise programs that focused on balance in addition to everyday movements, like getting up from a chair, reduced the rate of falls in older adults by about a quarter. While standing on one leg is a good start, it shouldn’t be the only exercise you do. “Balance is the front door, but strength is the whole house,” Calendine says.How to stand on one leg to improve your balanceFind a sturdy counter you can hold onto, says Kevin Pozzi, an assistant professor in the doctor of physical therapy program at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. Check that the floor isn’t slippery, and give your footwear some thought: “Sneakers would be ideal,” he says, as long as “they’re tied well and they fit.”If you’ve fallen before or had a significant injury or surgery involving your legs, hips, or spine, talk to a health professional before getting started. Pozzi also recommends getting help if you can’t hold the position for 10 seconds. A physical therapist can assess your balance and suggest a routine that’s safe for you.Otherwise, start with your hands on the counter, stand tall, and lift one foot off the floor. Keep your core engaged and avoid slumping over, Pozzi advises. Bending your lifted knee so your foot is slightly behind you often feels most comfortable, though you can also lift it in front if there’s room. “See how long you can hold first while holding on,” he says. If that feels easy, you can start easing up on your hands. “Maybe you go down to one hand,” he says. “Then lighten your grip even with that one hand so that you’re really not relying on it quite so much.” Keep it close enough to grab the counter if you need to.Work toward 30 seconds, then switch legs. One side might feel easier than the other, especially if you’ve had an injury. “They’re not always the same,” Pozzi says. Once you can comfortably manage 30 seconds on each side, try repeating it a few times throughout the day.And don’t expect to be perfectly still. “It’s normal to have a little bit of wobbling,” he says. You might feel your ankle moving or notice small shifts at your knee and hip as you try to stay upright. That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. But if you’re wobbling so much that you keep grabbing the counter or putting your foot down, hold on and make it easier.Don’t expect immediate results; this balance exercise takes time to work. Pozzi says people may start noticing changes after four to six weeks of consistent practice, including being able to hold the position longer. “Getting their socks and shoes on might be a little easier,” he says.How to make balance exercises a daily habitCalendine works on his balance while his coffee brews, both at home and at work, giving each leg a turn. “Nobody even knows I’m doing it,” he says. “They’re standing beside me, but you can kind of hide it, which is nice.”Dr. Vonda Wright, an orthopedic surgeon in Orlando, practices so often that she sometimes catches herself standing on one leg while giving a speech. She also asks rooms full of executives to try it—and watches them struggle. “It may be one of the only things they fail at,” she says.To make practicing easier to remember, she suggests pairing it with something you already do. Once you feel steady enough, try standing on one leg while brushing your teeth or taking a phone call beside your desk, with a sturdy surface nearby. “You’ve got to brush your teeth anyway,” she says. “Do it on one leg.”When holding the position for 30 seconds feels easy, you can gradually increase the challenge. Wright suggests placing a folded towel under your standing foot, which makes the surface less stable. Another option is moving your arms while you balance. Change one thing at a time, with support within reach.Think you’ve gotten pretty good at the whole thing? Try briefly closing your eyes; without being able to see, staying upright gets trickier. “Always be near something you can grab onto,” Wright says. If you lose your balance, put your foot down and start again. “We’re trying to make this a lifestyle,” she says, “not a workout regimen.”