Improve Your Balance: Knee-Touches

In this video, you'll learn how to do an exercise that will improve your balance. Please consult your doctor before attempting this exercise!

The aim of this exercise is to improve the stability of your ankles, knees and hips, as well as your self-coordination, to ensure that you can keep your balance when walking.

This exercise can be divided into two steps: getting into position, and the movement itself

Firstly, getting into position

Position yourself standing upright, your back straight and your feet shoulder-width apart

Stretch out your spine making yourself as tall as you can

Raise your head as high as possible, keeping your chin tucked in and looking straight ahead

To avoid arching your back, tense your abdominal muscles and buttocks

Hold your arms out to both sides at shoulder height, keeping your shoulders relaxed

Secondly, the movement itself

Take a deep breath in, then, as you breath out, raise one of your knees in front of you and touch it with the opposite hand

Keep your back straight; you shouldn't bend forward

Hold this position for three seconds, then gently let go

Repeat with your other leg

For better balance, keep looking straight ahead at a fixed point, pull in your stomach and clench your buttocks

Repeat the entire exercise

Remember to keep your knee still!

Once you're confident, you can do this exercise whilst walking

The slower you walk, the harder the exercise will be

By doing this exercise regularly, your balance will get better, making you more independent

Over to you!