Category Archives: Brain Health

Keep Your Balance With Visual Perception Training

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Visual perception is probably not the first concept that comes to mind when thinking about exercise for functional movement and balance.  However, most people rely heavily on their visual abilities to keep their balance in daily life.  In fact, visual impairment and low levels of light (which render vision more challenging) can create risky conditions for safe movement.  In addition, sitting in front of screens or keeping our eyes fixed in one place for long periods of time can weaken the muscles of the eyes.

A comprehensive balance and strength program should always contain exercises for visual perception and eye strength.  The ability to see well (visual perception) requires two elements:  “the presence of light … (and) a strong integration of the body’s sensory experiences” (Hickman & Hutchins, 2010).  This means that in order to balance well, we use vision in combination with other sensory information such as sound, touch, smell, and our vestibular sense (inner ear).

At Love Your Age, we use a variety of exercises with various sized balls (with and without images) to work:

  • Hand eye coordination
  • Peripheral vision and gaze stabilization movements and patterns, both with and without head or limb movement

Here is an eye strengthening exercise from Optometrist Lois Hickman, OTR, FAOTA:

  • For an extra challenge, you can stand in a slightly balance-challenged position such as tandem or heel to toe – with support nearby
  • Try to keep your head still, and move ONLY your eyes
  • 1) Breathe in, look straight ahead, breathe out look to the top of your head
  • 2) Breathe in, look straight ahead, breathe out, look to your right ear
  • 3) Breathe in, look straight ahead, breathe out, look to your left ear
  • 4) Breathe in, look straight ahead, breathe out, look down to your chin
  • 5) Breathe in, look straight ahead, breathe out, look down to your left
  • 6) Breathe in, look straight ahead, breathe out, look down to your right
  • 7) Breathe in, look straight ahead, breathe out, look up to your left
  • 8) Breathe in, look straight ahead, breathe out, look up to your right

You may be surprised at how much these small eye movements affect your balance, and you may even notice a deficit in one direction or another.  As your eye muscles get stronger, these exercises will complement other balance exercises you do in your program.