24/09/2026
Why You Should Train Your Balance Before You Need It...Balance is something we tend to take for granted, until it starts to decline.
The good news is that balance is trainable. Just like strength and cardiovascular fitness, we can challenge our balance and coordination throughout our lives to help maintain physical function, independence and confidence as we age.
Why does balance decline with age?
Balance is not controlled by one single system. It relies on the brain and nervous system combining information from our vision, inner ear and sensory receptors in our muscles and joints, while also having enough strength and coordination to respond appropriately.
As we get older, several of these systems can change. Muscle mass and strength tend to decline, reaction times can become slower, vision and sensory function may change, and our ability to make quick postural adjustments can decrease.
These changes don't mean that losing our balance is inevitable. In fact, research shows that exercise can improve balance and physical function in older adults.
