The Basics of Balance and Aging - 7/30/2025

There’s a good reason that many advocates for senior citizens—from physicians and community health workers to counselors in assisted living and retirement communities—often discuss the importance of balance and fall prevention.  The sad and simple truth is that falls kill.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among the elderly, and over a third of those aged 65 and older fall every year.  Problems with balance are fairly common in older adults and are one of the primary reasons they go to visit a doctor.  This is not surprising, since balance issues can seriously affect the most basic activities of everyday living, such as walking, getting up from a chair, navigating stairs, and bending over.

Common Sources of Balance Problems

Our vestibular system is what keeps us from falling over.  It is a system of fluid-filled tubes that work with specialized nerves in the inner ear to tell the brain our position.  As we age, that system can begin to break down.  Both blood flow and the number of nerves in the inner ear start to decline after age 55. 

Balance disorders in older people are frequently related to inner ear problems.  These include:

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV).  Tiny particles of calcium called otoconia break free in the inner ear and hit the inner ear’s sensors, which are responsible for telling you where you are in space, creating a sensation of dizziness and an intense feeling of vertigo when you change position.

• Labyrinthitis.  A swelling and irritation of the inner ear.

• Menière’s Disease.  An inner ear disorder characterized by low-pitched tinnitus, vertigo, intermittent hearing loss (it comes and goes), and a feeling of fullness in the ear.

  
  

Loss of balance can also be a result of vision problems such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.  Cardiac problems, low blood sugar, and some medications can also lead to a loss of balance.

Dr. Neil Cherian, from the Neurological Center for Pain at the Cleveland Clinic, specializing in tinnitus, dizziness, and vestibular and balance disorders, says, “As you age, common disorders such as vision loss, arthritis, and a diminished number of nerve endings in the feet can negatively affect your balance.”

What Can Be Done?

Fortunately, certain activities can help to preserve your sense of balance and allow you to maintain your agility into older age.

“Cardiovascular workouts like hiking and climbing can help maintain and even improve your equilibrium,” Dr. Cherian notes.  Joint mobility and muscle strength are necessary to maintain balance, and many seniors struggle with limited mobility and arthritis.  However, some activities improve and strengthen these abilities and are appropriate for seniors, such as Tai Chi, yoga, water aerobics, dancing, and gardening, all of which can help to keep your sense of balance honed.  Your local senior center, recreation center,r or health club will usually offer a variety of activities geared toward older adults.

The following are some exercises to help maintain balance that can be practiced at home:

• Stand with your back to a wall, with your heels about 8 inches from it.  Lift the balls of your feet off the ground as high as you can and hold for 10 seconds.  Repeat 5 times.

• Using the back of a chair, a railing, or a wall to steady yourself, move up and down on the balls of your feet.  Repeat as many times as you can.  When you begin to feel steadier, try the exercise standing on one leg at a time.

• Practice walking up and down stairs to strengthen your thigh and hip muscles.

• Repeatedly getting up from a chair can also strengthen hip and thigh muscles.  Try to use your hand as little as possible when doing this for the most significant benefit.

  
  

If you or someone you care about is having difficulty with balance, we may be able to help.  Chiropractic physicians are experts in diagnosing and treating conditions related to the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. We can design special exercise programs to improve strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination in older patients. 

We can also address other underlying health problems that often contribute to balance issues.  Whenever necessary, we can also provide referrals to qualified healthcare providers who specialize in diseases of the inner ear and eyes.

Remember—slips and falls involve much greater risk as we age.  If you suspect a balance problem, it’s important to seek help early.  Call or visit our office today.