Balance Exercises

[Warren Kaplan]

You might find this subject a little odd for this board but I think for some of you this may prove interesting.

As I got older (I'm 62 now) I found that I was not as "nimble" around the foredeck as I would like to be. Going forward from the cockpit, especially if the sea was a little choppy, often proved to be an exercise of grabbing onto lifelines, shrouds and grab rails and moving hesitantly and deliberately even when it didn't seem necessary. The problem was flagging balance, or at least apprehension that my balance wasn't quite what it used to be, and therefore shaken self confidence.

A month ago I had arthroscopic surgery on my knee for a torn meniscus. The surgery and recovery was no big deal but I had to go for physical therapy afterwards to get my knee back in shape.

Among the exercises the therapist had me do were balance exercises. Standing on one leg on less than solid surface like a trampoline took great effort. Standing with both feet on a soft half inflated-like ball and doing deep knee bends was another. At first it took me a long time to balance at all. Then the balance on these surfaces came more quickly and I could balance for long periods of time and do these exercises without much problem at all.

When I then went to my CD27 to start commissioning her both on land and after she was in the water I was surprised to find I could literally run up and back on the side decks between bow and cockpit without any hesitation or the need to hold onto anything.

Things that I'd have to grab a shroud for just never entered my mind and that was because I was moving around so easily and confidently that holding on was not necessary.

I know many of you have no problems with balance. But for those who feel a little unsteady when moving around on narrow side decks or climbing onto cabintops, you might consider looking into balance exercises. The improvement was almost immediate. After about two or three sessions my balance was vastly improved.

So, consider it. Moving around on a boat in a seaway takes plenty of balance and I'm glad to regain some of it that I thought I had lost forever!

[Dick Barthel]

Warren,

At nearly 60 I notice that even balancing to put one foot in a pant leg is not as easy as it used to be. I never thought about balance exercises but it sounds like a very good idea. Maybe we can come up with a few really good exercises.

Dick

[Troy Scott]

Warren,
Thanks! This is excellent. I will do it.

[Oswego John]

Warren and all,

I think that you brought up a good point. I feel that as a person grows older, some of his physical facilities begin to wane. That includes balance.

I'm sure that most of us have heard the saying, "If you don't use it, you'll lose it". Perhaps, while taking PT, you regained some of the balance that you had in earlier days.

I feel that a keen sense of balance is an asset to a sailor. Not only does it make him safer while sailing, but I have a sense, or thought, that a sharp sense of balance may help prevent sea sickness. Just my personal thought. It's a horizon thing.

Without going into detail, I'll mention something that has developed my sense of balance many years ago. Among the many hats that I have worn through the years is that of a ski instructor. That was for Alpine or downhill skiing.

I guess that it is fair to say that skiing and sailing have some similarities. When you first begin each sport, mistakes will be made. As you progress, your ability and response to situations become more automatic. A smart skier or sailor realizes the innate potential dangers and prepares himself beforehand for what lies ahead.

As in your case, PT not only helped strengthen your knee, but also restored some of the sense of balance you once had. You now have much of the strength and sense of balance which you can rely on in case of a sudden emergency.

Skiing has developed leg and knee strength for me, balance through changing circumstances and more importantly, has developed an instant, coordinated, mental and physical response to any condition that may instantly occur in my path while speeding down the mountain.

Now, this isn't only for me, but for any skier, athlete or gymnast who whets his competitive skills. I feel that I can honestly say that improved balance has given me better sealegs, too.

Balance is a good thing to have. I hope your knee is healing well.
O J

[Andy Denmark]

Hi Warren,

I think what you're talking about here is proprioception. In layman's terms it is the unconscious ability to automatically (unconsciously) sense and correct imbalance that occurs due to trauma, nerve path disruption, unusual stresses, or non-use.

Astronauts returning from a low or zero gravity environments have to be careful because their proprioceptors (automatic nerve-to-muscle pathways that we call "balance") have been inactive for so long that they have a hard time maintaining balance, standing and walking being the most obvious. It's very much a "use it or lose it" ability that returns with the same sorts of therapeutic exercises that you're doing -- mini-tramp, ball board, one-leg stands, etc.

I can readily see that having ones "sea legs" would be a direct function of good proprioceptor function.

FWIW
________
Ford fairmont (australia)

[Warren Kaplan]

Andy and all,

It is proprioception we are talking about. The reason you can close your eyes and bring your hand from your side directly up to your face and touch your nose without looking is because your nervous system "knows" where your joints are and can coordinate their positions in space. That's proprioception.

When you get drunk one of the first functions to be affected is proprioception. Therefore the drunk driving test of asking someone to walk a straight line. Drunks usually have a lot of trouble with that.

I dunno if its so much a matter of use it or lose it here....as we all walk, climb stairs etc everyday. It may be a function of aging, in that muscles tend to wither and everything else seems to degenerate somewhat. Building the muscles that are necessary to hold your "joints" where they should be so you can actually balance I'm sure will help. Doing balance exercises, like standing on one leg, making sure the raised leg does not touch the other, and standing for as long as you can will help quite a bit. You'll also feel the muscles in the leg that's stationary on the ground get a little sore as they are being worked to maintain that balance. As they build up the balance will come easier.

I'm gonna try to do a few of the exercises from now on. The experience on the boat was totally unexpected. I just got aboard and found that I could walk around almost as if I was walking on the sidewalk! Terrific!

[rtbates]

Good info Warren, thanks. Balance has never been a problem for me. Being only 5'8" and 145lb I'm pretty agile for a 60 yo. Having said that I still like to get around on a vessel in a seaway on my butt. The only way I'm going over board is THROUGH, not over the lifelines! Hopefully having double lifelines will help prevent that from happening. Lately I've started looking at replacing the upper lifeline with solid 1" SS rail.

[Emil Maurer]

Somebody observed that to improve your balance when going forward in a seaway in addition to a tether attached to a jackline, snapping onto a halyard really helps!

[jneely]

As a 62 year old sailor I can appreciate the need to maintain or even improve my sense of balance. Here is a source for exercises that I found on the net:
http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/bal ... alance.htm

[Kurt]

It's rare if not impossible for anyone over the age of 40 to balance themselves on one leg for more than 10 seconds...with their eyes closed.

[Oswego John]

Kurt,

I'm pooped. I've been trying to balance on one leg for over the last ten minutes. No way Jose.

I did stay up twice on my right leg. The left leg was, like, fawgeddaboutit. The two times on the right leg was with my eyes open. I get about three seconds of violent wavering with them closed.

I find that if I hold my arms straight out to either side, my balance improves from terrible to rotten. It finally dawned on me that I had one arm out and the other in while looking at my watch.

Hmmmm. I think that I better start those exercises.

O J

[Bill Goldsmith]

I found this site with some general fitness tips for sailors. I think Warren has done a great service by pointing out how his time spent in PT aided his sailing fitness. I am going to try these.

http://www.rya.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/CC12 ... ailing.pdf

[barfwinkle]

we practiced our balance by first standing on the bottom, then moving up to the seats or saddle and then finally to standing on the gunnels.

By the time you were comfortable standing on the gunnels, the interaction of the boat, the paddler and the water was quite improved. Haven't tried the one legged sailor trick yet!

Fair Winds

[Kurt]

Warren & OJ...
I'm now 58 and for the past few years I've noticed that I don't hop around the boat as gingerly as I used to. It's good to know that one's ability to balance can be improved via practice. I've added some balance exercises to my almost daily exercise routine.
Thank you for the head's up on this geriatric subject.

[Oswego John]

Warren & OJ...
I'm now 58 and for the past few years I've noticed that I don't hop around the boat as gingerly as I used to.

Hi guys,

In two and a half years, I'll be eighty.

What a coincidence. I notice that I haven't been hopping around the boat as gingerly as I once did, either. It must be something in the water.

Seriously, as one ages, exercise is more and more important. You have to save what you have. Sort of preserve what remains and stay as loose as possible.

Not quite a year ago, I had triple bypass surgery. As soon as I was physically able, I was put on a PT program. I walked more in a month on a treadmill than I had walked in the previous ten years.

Because of the physical activity and PT, I might add that I've never felt better now than in the last ten years.

Stay active, if you don't use it you're apt to lose it.

Happy Mother's Day to all.

O J (If I rest, I rust.)