Balance is a very important issue for everyone, but especially for older people. Modified yoga helps improve balance in older people. Some of the many ways it is done is by teaching them to strengthen their legs and ankles. One posture that works effectively is standing on the balls of your feet for ten to fifteen seconds. If you are concerned about falling, hold onto the back of a chair or use the wall for support. Pressing to the balls of the feet, it strengthens the ankles, calves and also stretches the arch of the foot. Stimulates blood flow to the feet, toes, and heels.
Many older people struggle with balance because they have problems with their feet. In modified yoga we stretch the sole of the foot, the top of the foot and stretch the toes to open them. The flexibility of the feet helps balance. To maintain balance, a person can grasp the ground with the toes. Try to spread your toes like fingers. Try wiggling your toes without shoes to stretch them. In our chair yoga classes, we include a small exercise to practice grasping a strap from the floor with just your toes. Also to keep the foot up and flex the toes up and down, as if saying “Hello” with the fingers.
I also recommend massaging the soles of your feet in class and moving your big toes up and down during the massage. Another way to strengthen your ankles and improve balance is to pump your foot up and down, then bring the soles of your feet together, point your knees out, spread your feet out, and bring your soles back together. In a way, your feet will look like penguin flippers.
In the modified yoga mat, the downward dog or inverted “V” with a variation of pushing the heels up works on balance. In chair yoga, we stand behind the chair, put one foot forward into a lunge and push the back heel up, then push it down and then push the front heel up. One after another and switch legs. In a modified mat class, we can also do that in a standing stretch. Stand in a lunge position, as described above, except without the chair. Push up your back heel first, then your front heel. Switch legs and push up on your back heel once more, then your front. You make a slight movement back and forth.
In chair yoga, while sitting, spread your legs wide and push your heels up, very close to the chair. Then lower your heels and raise your toes. We continue to strengthen ankles and calves.
Actually, there are many balancing poses in yoga that greatly improve balance. There is nothing like standing on one foot to practice balance. Some poses that do that is the tree pose. Stand on the leg, with the knee bent, place the sole of the other foot against the inside of the leg. Focus on a long point in front of you and bring your palms together on your chest, then raise your hands and then spread your arms out and to the sides, and then bring them back in front of the chest. , count for five to fifteen seconds.
Another that works in balance is the Eagle. He stands on one bent leg, and with the other leg, he hooks it around the front leg or the supporting leg, and wraps his leg around the supporting leg. Your hands are in front of you. Your arms are bent, you take one elbow and place it on top of the other elbow, then wrap your hands and grab them together. You have to have one leg bent and you have to grip with your toes. Then come out, when you change hands you have to put the other elbow on top and wrap your hands. It’s a bit uncomfortable and confusing at first, but if you can master the standing poses in a modified yoga class, you will also strengthen your ankles and calves, your balance is sure to improve dramatically. The modified yoga class is a great start because it is much gentler and is practiced in a controlled manner.