The Importance of Balance Training: A key to lifelong mobility and independence

This month's blog comes courtesy of Codie, a myotherapist and trainer at The Foot Collective. I've attended around half a dozen classes here (thanks to plantar fasciitis in my right foot) and these classes are a great way to improve balance and have fun as you strengthen your ankles, feet, legs, hips and core. Wellspringers who attended this balance class last year had a fabulous time! As a myotherapist, Codie has extensive knowledge of anatomy and how the body works - stay tuned for a blog later this year about myotherapy, what it is, what it treats and where to see Codie! Or check out her socials @codie.myo

Balance is a fundamental skill that we all have. We progress it the second we start moving as we go from crawling to taking our first steps, running circles around our parents and then exploring the world. Our exploration of the world is where we really start honing this skill- from climbing trees, to playing sports and riding skateboards down a hill. And then we stop. Something happens as we reach adulthood and suddenly stop being playful with movement and exploration. Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration, we still do it a little, but when is the last time you remember challenging your balance in a fun and explorative way?

Balance is a fundamental skill vital to maintaining mobility, independence, and a high quality of life as we age. Let’s explore what I mean and why.

Falls risks

Research shows that our balance naturally begins to decline as early as our 40s (which happens to be the age of most people we see in our classes). This decline can lead to an increased risk of falls, reduced confidence in movement, and hesitancy to engage in physical activities. The good news is that balance is a skill that can be trained and improved at any age. While most of our clients are in their mid-40s to mid-50s, our second-largest group in our "TFC classes" consists of people in their 60s–80s who have either experienced a fall themselves or know someone who has, and they're taking proactive steps to prevent falls.

Strong Feet = Strong Balance

Why do we focus on balance so much at The Foot Collective? Shouldn't we just be doing calf raises and toe pianos? Well, our feet are our foundation—they keep us upright, allow us to walk, move around, and live our lives. Balance, foot function and strength are inseparable. When we practice balance, we improve foot function, and when we strengthen our feet, we improve balance.

That's why we do lots of balance training: the stronger our foundation, the better our balance. Plus, it lets us have fun and explore movement while strengthening our feet and ankles.

The Power of Texture and Surface Variety

One of the unique aspects of our training involves exposing feet to different textures and surfaces. This exposure plays a vital role in:

• Enhancing proprioception (your body's awareness of its position in space)

• Reducing foot and ankle sensitivity

• Improving foot and ankle mobility

• Improving neural connections between your feet and brain

All these factors, especially improved proprioception, enhance our ability to get stronger and rapidly improve our balance.

Perfect Complement to Your Pilates Practice

Pilates and balance training are a harmonious blend! Combining these practices creates a strong foundation, with each discipline enhancing and reinforcing the other's benefits.

Classes at The Foot Collective

Located at the Grange Social Bowls Club, our practitioner-led classes offer a comprehensive approach to improving stability and foot function. We have a few different types of classes so you can find one that suits you best. We recommend starting with our foundations class as it provides the basics of our concepts and really allows you to hone your skills and strengthen the small muscles of the feet as well as the big ones. We ensure that all of our classes are easily scalable so everyone gets something out of it.

We run classes everyday and hope to see you at a session soon- visit our website to book! TFC Classes & Consults – The Foot Collective

Use code FEETFIRST for your first session FREE!