Slipping And Sliding And Slipping And…

Categories: Blog Jan 22, 2015

One of the beautiful things about the winters here in Colorado is the snow.

We just got six inches yesterday.

It often looks like a winter wonderland, especially when the trees are covered in snow and ice. It’s like something out of a kid’s story - a return to the days of our youth when life was simpler, and devoid of any cares.

One of the downsides of the snow we get is that it’s “fluffy” and wet. Yeah, I know, isn’t all snow truly wet? I’m certainly no snow expert but this seems to be different than the snow I’ve experienced on the east coast. You step on the snow here and it crushes down and instantly becomes ice.

Sliding through a red light yesterday at the bottom of a hill at only 15 to 20 miles an hour while braking on ice was less than awesome. The powers that be hadn’t spread sand on that particular hill yet. Fortunately, danger was avoided because we all knew that the roads were icy and the other drivers were in no particular hurry.

It’s also really fun when you’re in your driveway shoveling snow or cleaning off your car, or, heck, even walking. I can’t tell you how many times I slipped yesterday. One fun time was while hopping over a gutter filled with ice and water. I hopped from my right to my left foot, and when I landed, my left foot slid forward about 6 inches. I didn’t fall and was amazed that my body intuitively and automatically corrected for that slip while maintaining my balance.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that slipping on ice, snow, or anything can be incredibly dangerous. Last year, while shoveling my driveway, I slipped on some ice and before I could catch my balance, I was on my butt. Fortunately, everything was working correctly and I ended up in the hollow position - looking like a banana with my legs and head off the ground with my center (abs) braced.

Others aren’t so fortunate.

They slip and fall and get injured.

And sometimes, they don’t even have to slip to fall and get injured.

This is very common in the over 60 population.

Why?

They lose their ability to balance.

Notice I just said “ability to balance” and not “lose their balance.”

Why the subtle distinction?

To quote child development specialist, Sally Goddard-Blythe:

“Balance is not something we automatically have; it is something we do.” (Emphasis mine.)

Balance is an ability, not a static activity.

It is something that is reflexive in nature - that is, not, at it’s root, conscious, and it requires feedback from our environment.

So, if you’re lacking balance, how do you reclaim your ability to balance?

Do stand on one foot?

Or close your eyes?

Or do both at the same time?

Possibly.

But there’s a faster and better way.

And for many, a far safer way.

Start on the floor.

What?

That’s right - start on the floor.

Balance was originally trained, that is to say, you first acquired balance as a wee one by lying on the floor.

Lying on the floor stimulates special cells in your skin which flood the brain with information that increases your proprioception - your ability to know where your body is in space and in time. This information feeds your vestibular (balance) system. And in turn, increases it’s ability to function.

It’s not too much of a stretch to go from lying on the floor to rolling around on the floor. Rolling around on the floor, anyway you want, also stimulates those same specialized cells which feed your brain which in turn increases your proprioception, and therefore your vestibular system.

Not only that, but rolling around on the floor usually involves some sort of head movement, whether looking side-to-side or just picking your head up and putting it down. This not only improves your balance, but strengthens your neck muscles, both of which improve your posture by activating your vestibular system. And incidentally, posture also affects your balance. Good posture aids in maintaining normal balance. And poor posture decreases it.

So the place to start to improve your balance, especially if you’re over the age of 60, is where you started in the first place - on the floor.

Why?

It’s safe - you can’t fall. And it’s fun. Rolling around makes you feel young, like a kid again.

Sure, you may feel awkward at first (like I did), but you’ll soon overcome that feeling as you body re-establishes what it used to have and was always meant to have.

And you never know, all that rolling around like a kid again may not only make you smile and laugh and feel generally good, it may just keep you upright next time you slip on snow or ice.

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