The Foundations of Balance and Fall Prevention Series includes two books, which can be purchased online or locally in Ottawa. More details can be found below.
A home-based anti-fall workout for seniors
Are you worried about losing your balance, falling, and injuring yourself? Falls are the leading cause of injury, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations for seniors in North America, reducing independence and accelerating the need for long-term care. The good news is that you can reduce the risk of falling with easy-to-learn exercises. The exercises in this book are designed to be tackled one at a time, so you can fit them into your daily life at your own leisure.
Both books in the Foundations of Balance and Fall Prevention Series offer comprehensive information, exercises, and tips on how to improve balance, coordination, and mobility, and reduce the risk of falls for seniors.
These books are designed for seniors and offer a range of exercises that can be done from the comfort of your own home. With clear instructions and modifications for different abilities, you'll be able to tailor your workout to meet your needs and achieve your goals. It is a home-based fall prevention workout that doesn’t require special equipment, sweating, or getting down on the floor.
Benefits: Following the exercises in this book will help:
Target audience: Seniors who want to work on their balance at home. The workouts don’t require special equipment, sweating, or getting down on the floor.
Easy-to-follow instructions: Each exercise includes step-by-step instructions, basic illustrations, and modifications for different abilities.
Safety information: The books include safety information and precautions to ensure you are performing the exercises correctly and avoiding injury.
A home-based anti-fall workout for seniors
Are you worried about losing your balance, falling, and injuring yourself? Falls are the leading cause of injury, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations for seniors in North America, reducing independence and accelerating the need for long-term care. The good news is that you can reduce the risk of falling with easy-to-learn exercises. The exercises in this book are designed to be tackled one at a time, so you can fit them into your daily life at your own leisure.
Both books in the Foundations of Balance and Fall Prevention Series offer comprehensive information, exercises, and tips on how to improve balance, coordination, and mobility, and reduce the risk of falls for seniors.
These books are designed for seniors and offer a range of exercises that can be done from the comfort of your own home. With clear instructions and modifications for different abilities, you'll be able to tailor your workout to meet your needs and achieve your goals. It is a home-based fall prevention workout that doesn’t require special equipment, sweating, or getting down on the floor.
Benefits: Following the exercises in this book will help:
- improve your balance, 15 to 30 seconds at a time,
- teach you how to engage more muscles when you sit and stand,
- you learn good walking mechanics using common household recycling items like empty paper towel tubes
- increase your strength, improve your posture, and boost your confidence — all vital components in preventing a fall.
Target audience: Seniors who want to work on their balance at home. The workouts don’t require special equipment, sweating, or getting down on the floor.
Easy-to-follow instructions: Each exercise includes step-by-step instructions, basic illustrations, and modifications for different abilities.
Safety information: The books include safety information and precautions to ensure you are performing the exercises correctly and avoiding injury.
Balance and Your Body: How Exercise Can Help You Avoid a Fall
WHERE TO PURCHASE?
Pick up your copy today, or online at Amazon. Available in Ottawa, Perth, and Renfrew: You can purchase at Indigo Kanata, 400 Earl Grey Drive (Unit 1) or Westboro Books, 314 Richmond Rd., Spark Books and Curio, 76 Foster St, Perth, and In a Bind: Valley Refinery and Bookstore, 158 Raglan St S, Renfrew |
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Balance 2.0: Preventing Falls with Exercise
WHERE TO PURCHASE?
Pick up your copy today, or online at Amazon. Available in Ottawa and Perth: You can purchase at Coles Carlingwood, 2121 Carling Ave., Indigo Kanata, 400 Earl Grey Drive (Unit 1), Westboro Books, 314 Richmond Rd., and In a Bind: Valley Refinery and Bookstore, 158 Raglan St S, Renfrew |
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Balance and Your Body Book excerpt:
Clock Toe Taps
Clock toe taps are a transition exercise to help you incorporate static balance with a degree of coordination as you move one leg away from your body and return it back to the centre. This exercise is more dynamic than the last balance challenge, but not as involved as a fully dynamic balance exercise.
To start: Stand near a counter, wall, or sturdy chair, and hang on with your left hand. You will be working the right leg first, so make sure there are no obstacles in a cir- cle near your right leg. Imagine that there’s a clock face on the floor and you’re standing in the middle of it. The goal is to tap each hour on the clock from 12 o’clock all the way to six o’clock, and then repeat the toe taps in the opposite direction back to 12 o’clock. Try to do this exercise three times on each leg. Here’s how it works:
1. Twelve o'clock: Reach your right foot forward with a straight leg and gently tap your big toe at the 12 o’clock position, then return it to the ground beside your left foot. Keep your weight on your standing leg, and gently but quickly tap your toe on the ground.
2. Moving around the clock: Continue tapping your toe around the imaginary clock, always returning to the centre between each “hour” and placing your foot on the ground before continuing to the next “hour.” If a particu- lar position feels too difficult or uncomfortable, don’t reach as far. Instead of tapping the toe on the ground, just lift the leg in that direction and return it to the centre, beside your left foot.
3. Switch legs: Once you have finished the exercise with your right leg, turn around and hold on to your sup- port with your right hand.
4. Repeat: Repeat the toe taps with your left foot, be- ginning at 12 o’clock and working backwards from 11 o’clock down to six o’clock. Repeat in the opposite direc- tion, returning to 12 o’clock.
Do you need to make it easier? Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair and perform the toe taps from 12 o’clock to three o’clock on the right leg, and from 12 o’clock to nine o’clock on the left leg. Start by doing the exercises once on each leg, and gradually work your way up to three repeti- tions.
Are you ready to make it harder? If you feel strong and stable enough, try a few clock toe taps without holding on to your support.
Image: Copyright Emily Sterczyk, 2019, All rights reserved.
Text: Copyright Amanda Sterczyk, 2019, All rights reserved.
Clock toe taps are a transition exercise to help you incorporate static balance with a degree of coordination as you move one leg away from your body and return it back to the centre. This exercise is more dynamic than the last balance challenge, but not as involved as a fully dynamic balance exercise.
To start: Stand near a counter, wall, or sturdy chair, and hang on with your left hand. You will be working the right leg first, so make sure there are no obstacles in a cir- cle near your right leg. Imagine that there’s a clock face on the floor and you’re standing in the middle of it. The goal is to tap each hour on the clock from 12 o’clock all the way to six o’clock, and then repeat the toe taps in the opposite direction back to 12 o’clock. Try to do this exercise three times on each leg. Here’s how it works:
1. Twelve o'clock: Reach your right foot forward with a straight leg and gently tap your big toe at the 12 o’clock position, then return it to the ground beside your left foot. Keep your weight on your standing leg, and gently but quickly tap your toe on the ground.
2. Moving around the clock: Continue tapping your toe around the imaginary clock, always returning to the centre between each “hour” and placing your foot on the ground before continuing to the next “hour.” If a particu- lar position feels too difficult or uncomfortable, don’t reach as far. Instead of tapping the toe on the ground, just lift the leg in that direction and return it to the centre, beside your left foot.
3. Switch legs: Once you have finished the exercise with your right leg, turn around and hold on to your sup- port with your right hand.
4. Repeat: Repeat the toe taps with your left foot, be- ginning at 12 o’clock and working backwards from 11 o’clock down to six o’clock. Repeat in the opposite direc- tion, returning to 12 o’clock.
Do you need to make it easier? Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair and perform the toe taps from 12 o’clock to three o’clock on the right leg, and from 12 o’clock to nine o’clock on the left leg. Start by doing the exercises once on each leg, and gradually work your way up to three repeti- tions.
Are you ready to make it harder? If you feel strong and stable enough, try a few clock toe taps without holding on to your support.
Image: Copyright Emily Sterczyk, 2019, All rights reserved.
Text: Copyright Amanda Sterczyk, 2019, All rights reserved.
Balance 2.0 Book excerpt:
Clams
The clam exercise strengthens the hip muscles on the outside of your legs, a muscle that is often neglected but is also beneficial in preventing falls.
To start: Begin by lying on your left side on your bed or on the ground. Support your head on your left arm or with a pillow. Bend your legs, pulling your knees in front of your torso, with your right leg directly on top of your left. Your heels, hips, and shoulders should form a straight line. This will be your starting position.
1. Keeping your feet together, lift your right knee upwards, directly above your left knee.
2. Pause at the top of the movement for one to two seconds.
3. Lower your knee to the starting position.
4. Repeat eight to 10 times.
5. Roll over to your right side, and repeat steps 1 to 4.
Visualize: Your knees are the centre of a clam shell that is opening and closing in the water. Your hips and feet are the edges of the shell, controlling how much the shell can open.
Do you need to make it easier? Don’t lift your knee as high.
Are you ready to make it harder? Keeping your heels together, lift your feet off the bed or floor. Follow steps 1 to 4 with your feet in the air. Roll over and repeat steps 1 to 4 on the other side.
Image: Copyright Emily Sterczyk, 2020, All rights reserved.
Text: Copyright Amanda Sterczyk, 2020, All rights reserved.
The clam exercise strengthens the hip muscles on the outside of your legs, a muscle that is often neglected but is also beneficial in preventing falls.
To start: Begin by lying on your left side on your bed or on the ground. Support your head on your left arm or with a pillow. Bend your legs, pulling your knees in front of your torso, with your right leg directly on top of your left. Your heels, hips, and shoulders should form a straight line. This will be your starting position.
1. Keeping your feet together, lift your right knee upwards, directly above your left knee.
2. Pause at the top of the movement for one to two seconds.
3. Lower your knee to the starting position.
4. Repeat eight to 10 times.
5. Roll over to your right side, and repeat steps 1 to 4.
Visualize: Your knees are the centre of a clam shell that is opening and closing in the water. Your hips and feet are the edges of the shell, controlling how much the shell can open.
Do you need to make it easier? Don’t lift your knee as high.
Are you ready to make it harder? Keeping your heels together, lift your feet off the bed or floor. Follow steps 1 to 4 with your feet in the air. Roll over and repeat steps 1 to 4 on the other side.
Image: Copyright Emily Sterczyk, 2020, All rights reserved.
Text: Copyright Amanda Sterczyk, 2020, All rights reserved.