The Balancing Act

As we enter the the final term of the year, whether you are a parent of a scholar and/or working, the volume increases this time of year until our December break. This is the time of year when we have to stay on top of all the details, but hopefully also on top of our physical and mental health, the balancing act of life.

This is the time of year I make an concerted effort to stay on top of my calendar. I use an electronic calendar and have not used a paper diary since covid. Its made such a big difference and it helps me stay on top of all the school, work and social events leading up to December. What do you use?

I find it is always very important to limit and mange the activities. It can be difficult to say that you are not available or not able to help, but burn out this time of year is common, so please take care of yourself too!

Just as you book a work meeting in your calendar, also remember to prioritize yourself, whether it is your bootcamp classes or your health check up, keep yourself a priority. Taking a walk is also a great way to get some exercise on a very busy day and get some fresh air and perspective!

Balance does not just apply to our lives, but also an important topic in our health. Proprioception and balance issues can be a chronic problem for many and understanding how or why this happens is important. Age plays a large role in that as we age, circumstances often beyond our control, can affect our balance, but that does not mean there is nothing you can do to stop progression or reverse course!

Some common causes of balance issues include:

• Leg injuries and weakness are a common short term reason for decreased balance, this is because the pain and weakness experienced with an injury leads to reduced muscular reflex response, or delayed responses.

• Eye or ear infections, conditions or difficulties. Our eyes help keep us level and if we can't see properly, we loose an important balance tool! Our middle ear is very important in managing our balance as the messages from the balance structures in the ear send signals to the brain to tell us if we balanced and level, trouble here means the messages could be incorrect or delayed.

• Circulation is a major factor when it comes to balance issues. This is important when it comes to feet, peripheral nerves and the brain. Circulation can be affected by diabetes and blood pressure problems too! Never underestimate the importance of knowing your health and fixing what you can!

• Our brain, naturally, is crucial for processing and controlling movements and co-ordination. Many conditions that affect the brain will affect balance too. This also includes some medication and alcohol that has an effect on the brain, sometimes temporary, sometimes not.

• Spinal conditions can be a big factor as you age, with conditions such as spinal stenosis leading to poor balance and often sensation of the feet. Old nerve injuries of damage can also affect your balance.

Sometimes you will have a minor issue, like one side of your body has less control and balance than the other side. This is usually due to a strength imbalance, old injuries that have not completely resolved or regained fine motor control. This can be really easy to restore in most circumstances, but you still need to work at it!

So how can you improve your balance?

• Continue to go to bootcamp! Jason is always doing balance exercises and will always teach you a few tricks if you need!

• Regular beach walks and hikes, start with a hiking stick if you need!

• Any and all exercises when standing on one leg is incredibly beneficial. Remember, you are not failing when you loose your balance and need to grab a wall or tree, you are learning to balance! every balance reaction is another step towards improvement.

• Close your eyes. When you do this, you heighten your other senses that assist balance and improve your response.

• Strengthen your legs. Not only does this improve circulation, but it improves our balance response time, leading to less injuries if we fall, but also the speed at which we catch ourselves and not fall!

So whether you need to improve on the balancing act of your daily life or you balance and proprioception of your brain and legs, there is no more important time than the present!