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Is there any exercises I can do to help me gain some balance? That is, when I stand on one leg with the other lifted off the floor, it is only a few seconds before I have to put the other one down on the floor or put my hand on something so I don't "tip over", so to speak.

I don't know if it means anything, but throughout my life I have had a number of knee surgeries and broken ankles, and I wonder if I have lost some musculature that is causing this.

I might say that my legs are quite strong, but I just have to hold on to something while standing on one foot.

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Yes, there are lots of good balance exercises. Lower extremity injuries and surgeries that aren’t fully rehabilitated can leave you with a poor sense of joint position and therefore, reduced balance. Balance is more than just muscle strength, although that is part of the answer. It also takes neurological control, feedback and coordinated adjustments for good balance.

Check out this question/answer on proprioception (position sense) for a more complete explanation. Also, this question addresses how to test balance, both static and dynamic.

Exercises that improve your proprioceptive sense will help improve your balance. Here are some basic balance exercise videos:

Just make sure that you have the ok from your doctor given your history. And to be cautious, have something sturdy to hold onto should you need it.

If you are interested in getting any balance exercise supplies, I'd appreciate it if you would use our site's amazon link for supplies like balance boards or discs. Thanks and good luck with your balance training.

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  • Thank you. I've ordered a wobble board from amazon. We'll see if I can do it without flying off of it :)
    – Dave
    Sep 22, 2011 at 17:32
  • Thanks - you'll do great. Just start off easy and hold on! A counter top or door frame works well. Sep 22, 2011 at 17:47

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