“All Fours” Balance Exercise
 1. Get on all fours, with your knees and also your hands 12-18  inches apart—like a table.

 2. Pull your stomach muscles in tight. Keep your shoulders  pinched back and your back flat.

 3. Keep your chin “in” and your head “straight.”

 4. Now lift each arm by itself and hold for  3-10 seconds.

 5. Return arms to floor. Now lift each leg  by itself, no more than 6” off the floor.  Hold for 3-10 seconds.

 6. Finally, lift the opposite arm and leg together no more than 1” and hold for 3-10 seconds. Reach out only if you feel steady. Repeat on opposite sides.

Toe, Heel, And Leg Rises
 1. Stand straight and tall, with your knees slightly bent and your toes  pointed straight ahead. Line your knees up over the point of your shoes.

 2. Look straight ahead. Keep your chin tucked and your shoulder blades  pinched straight back. Tighten your stomach muscles.

 3. (A) Rise up on your toes. Lower yourself back down and repeat.

 4. (B) Keep your posture the same. This time, however, raise the front part  of your foot, lower, and repeat. Remember to keep your stomach muscles
 tight.

 5. (C) Keep standing straight and tall, as before. Shift your weight forward  to the front half of your feet. Lift one leg, keeping your standing leg in  proper alignment. Hold 10-30 seconds.Lower and repeat with the other side.

 6. Slowly and carefully repeat each exercise 3-5 times.

Eye Exercise for Balance

 1. Focus your eyes on  a target 10-20 feet away while you change  from sitting to standing and back again with your eyes OPEN.  Make sure that you land softly when you sit!

 2. Repeat with your eyes CLOSED.

 3. Feel the position of your body as you move. Be sure that you  keep your weight forward on the front of your feet, knees apart,  chest forward, and spine erect.

Half-Circle Sway

 If you have experienced falls or problems with balance,get your physical therapist’s permission before doing this exercise.

 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-distance apart. Hold onto the kitchen sink counter for safety.
 Breathe deeply and relax.

 2. Lean forward slowly from the ankles, without bending at  the hips. Feel how about 70% of your body weight is now  on the balls of your feet.

 3. Return to the neutral starting position. Now, lean slowly  to the left. Feel how about 70% of your body weight is on  the left sides of your feet.

 4. Return to the upright position. This time lean slowly to  the right, feeling the shift in your weight.

 5. Now put it all together: Practice making graceful half-circle sways from left to center to right and back again.  Begin with small half circles, and gradually increase to see  how far you can move your body without taking a step.