Balance and StabilityBalance and stability keep us from falling over, even when things around us are moving. We stay on our feet, in part, because we have the body awareness to do so. To maintain positions, we also need certain levels of strength and flexibility so that we can apply just the right amount of force in the right directions. Definition: The ability to maintain a position. Stability and equilibrium are also used to describe balance. Static stability means that you are not moving. Dynamic stability means you are moving without falling. Receptors throughout the body provide constant feedback to the brain to help us maintain equilibrium (e.g., joint receptors for body positioning) without even thinking about it. Examples: Holding a headstand or handstand (static), skateboarding, surfing, and riding a bike (dynamic). Staying on your feet while lunging for a low ground ball demands great dynamic stability. Even sprinting involves constantly falling forward and catching yourself with each stride. How to Develop: Improving posture and learning how to make mechanical adjustments can improve stability. Stability balls are commonly used in physical therapy and sports training promote static balance. *Biofeedback devices used in therapeutic settings can help stroke patients learn to maintain balance and stability by enhancing feedback that helps them re-learn how to control equilibrium. *Taking advantages of mechanical principles can increase stability in sports. For example, placing your feet farther apart and bending your knees lower your center of gravity. Wearing shoes that provide good traction (increasing friction) also helps prevent falling. *Weight training improves strength and speed for making adjustments that prevent falling over, even if you collide with someone else. Free weights promote weight bearing skills that develop strength as well as internal body mechanisms required for balancing, as compared to most machines. *When running downhill, the effect of gravity accelerates your running speed to the extent that you could lose control and fall. Greater joint strength and stability can prevent knee, hip, and ankle injuries. These can help you avoid a potential tumble down a hill. *Back, hip, and leg strengthening exercises are key to stabilizing your body. See Core Strength Exercises How to Measure: Balance and stability can be measured by computerized devices in the lab. Holding a skill for three seconds, such as a handstand in gymnastics or platform diving, demonstrates that an athlete can maintain stability. Products for Developing BalanceThe products shown here are commonly used as part of training programs to build balance and stability and are popular among personal trainers. Click on the photos for details.
Sources: Hamill, J. & Knutzen, K.M. Mechanical basis of human movement (2nd ed.). Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Safrit, M.J. & Wood, T.M. (1996). Introduction to measurement in physical education and exercise science (3rd ed.). St. Louis: Mosby. Schmidt, R.A. & Lee, T.D. (1999). Motor control and learning: A behavioral emphasis (3rd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
United States Department of Health and Human Services, President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. (2000, March). Definitions: Health, fitness, and physical activity. Retrieved August 29, 2008, from http://www.fitness.gov/digest_mar2000.html
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