Don't Wait to Work on Balance
- Nashville PT
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
When we talk about staying active as we age, most people think of strength or cardio. But balance? That’s the unsung hero. It's not just a concern for older adults. If you’re in your 40s or beyond, working on your balance now can help you stay upright, injury-free, and moving confidently for decades.
At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we work with plenty of active adults who are surprised to learn their balance isn’t quite what it used to be—and that’s perfectly normal. But letting it slide? That’s a slippery slope (literally).
Why Your Balance Needs Attention (Even If You're Active)
Balance is your body’s ability to stay centered over your feet. You rely on it constantly—when you change directions quickly, walk on uneven ground, or reach overhead for a suitcase. Starting around age 40, your ability to do these things naturally starts to decline due to:
Decreased strength, especially in your hips and legs
Slower reaction times
Changes in vision and proprioception (your body’s internal GPS)
Past injuries that quietly affect your movement patterns
And yes, this happens even to people who are otherwise active and strong.
The Surprising Risk for People Who "Work Out"
If you lift weights, run, do yoga, or play sports, you might assume you’re in the clear. But repetitive movements (like always running forward or lifting the same way) can create imbalances in your body that subtly throw off your coordination. Add in the occasional injury or period of inactivity, and you’ve got the perfect storm for decreased balance—even if your routine hasn’t changed.
The result? You're more likely to take a misstep, roll an ankle, or fall—something that sends over millions of adults to the ER every year, often starting in their 40s (CDC, 2020).
A Fall Isn’t Just a Bruise
Here’s why one fall can have a bigger impact than you’d expect:
Recovery time: It could mean weeks away from your usual activities.
Lingering issues: You might develop joint stiffness or chronic pain that wasn’t there before.
Confidence loss: Many people unconsciously start doing less because they don’t feel steady, which snowballs into even more weakness and imbalance.
But it doesn’t have to go that way.
What Does Balance Training Actually Look Like?
It’s not just standing on a wobble board or closing your eyes and hoping for the best. Good balance training works on four key things:
Core strength – to stabilize your spine and pelvis
Lower body strength – especially your hips, glutes, and ankles
Proprioception – helping your brain know where your body is in space
Dynamic control – reacting to movement, momentum, and change
Examples of effective exercises include:
Single-leg stands (try brushing your teeth this way)
Heel-to-toe walks
Step-ups with control
Stability ball work
Lunges with turns or reaches
A well-designed program should challenge your stability while mimicking real-life movements—not just balance for the sake of balance.
How Nashville PT Can Help You Build Better Balance
We take a proactive, customized approach to helping our patients move better and stay active.
Our physical therapists will:
Evaluate your strength, mobility, and postural control
Identify sneaky areas where you may be compensating
Design a balance program tailored to your body, your goals, and your lifestyle
Combine balance work with strength, mobility, and movement retraining
And because we’re a cash-based, one-on-one clinic, you get uninterrupted time with a licensed physical therapist—not a tech, not a crowded clinic.
Start Now—Not Later
You don’t need to wait until you feel unsteady to work on your balance. In fact, the earlier you start, the more you can do to prevent future problems. Whether you’re chasing kids, training for a race, or just want to feel solid getting out of a kayak, balance training helps you move better and live more fully.
Want to know where you stand (literally)? Let’s find out.
(3 locations in Nashville)
References
Horak, F.B. (2006). Postural Orientation and Equilibrium: What do we need to know about neural control of balance to prevent falls? Age and Ageing, 35(suppl_2), ii7-ii11. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afl077
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Important Facts about Falls. https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html