Hold steady: Stability balls and boards help with balance training

Balance is such a fundamental part of each movement that it hurts — sometimes literally — when it's gone. But to strengthen our balance, especially as we age, it turns out we do need to lose it. Or at least test it a little.

Kids do this naturally by walking, running on or scrambling up the most precarious surfaces they can find. Adults might be better off trying balance training, which can involve using unstable equipment, such as BOSU balance trainers, wobble boards, rockers and stability disks.

More than 90 percent of personal trainers now incorporate balance training tools, according to an industry survey. But teetering on unstable surfaces isn't just fun and different. It forces you to activate the smaller, stabilizing muscles in knees, ankles and hips that don't necessarily get a workout when you're on solid ground.

"The stronger the stabilizers are, the better your result with any fitness quest, whether it's running or lifting weights," said Michele Olson, a professor of exercise science at the Human Performance Laboratory at Auburn University.

For older adults, balance training can help reduce the risk of falls and shattered bones. It's also used for rehabilitation and to help children with sensory integration or attention-deficit disorders.

Still, while balance training has a place, it's often overused, said Jay Dawes, education director for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. "When picking a training program, think about how it will transfer to your daily life," stressed Dawes. If you're not a circus performer or Olympic skier, the benefits might not be as great as you think, Dawes said.

To add some healthy instability to your life, stand on one leg for 30 seconds and close your eyes. Or, step on one of the following boards and try to keep the edges from touching the ground. Start with 15 to 30 seconds, two to three times a week, and work your way up to 30 seconds to a minute.

ROCKER BOARDS. A good introduction to basic balance training, rocker boards have a base that tilts forward and back or side to side. Used by hockey players and skiers, they can also help children who suffer from conditions such as traumatic brain injury, sensory integration disorders and low muscle tone, said Erin Luy, an occupational therapist at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton.

Get it: Square Rocker Board $49.95, SPRI Products spri.com.