5 Tips for Improving Your Walking Balance
The moves that keep you stable, even on rocky ground
Each year, about 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for falls, so it’s no wonder long walks and hikes can sound challenging sometimes. But you can take on difficult terrain and maintain your walking balance. In fact, doing so can ultimately make you more agile and steadier on your feet.
“On uneven surfaces, you use your sensory and motor systems, your cognition, and your vision all to a greater extent than walking on a flat surface,” says Emily J. Fox, PhD, an associate professor of physical therapy at the University of Florida, in Gainesville, and a research scientist at Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville. “The more you use those systems, the more you retain them as you get older.”
The key is staying alert, adjusting how you walk, and getting the right gear in advance. These simple steps can make it easier to keep your balance while walking and help make treks in the woods or on trails a relaxing experience rather than a nerve-wracking one.
Preparation Is Key
Before you tackle tricky terrain, take the following steps.
Practice. Walk around your yard, across grass, mulch, and rocky surfaces.
Strengthen your lower body. Simple squats (as you would to sit in a chair) and heel raises (rising onto your toes) target your legs, glutes, and core. Easy balance training routines can help, too.
Get your eyes and ears checked. Your vision and inner ear systems are crucial for good balance. Correcting any problems will keep you more sure-footed.
Find the Right Shoes
Match the shoes to the terrain. Bulky, high-top hiking boots can be heavy and may impede the sensory information your feet and ankles pick up from the ground. Unless you’re hiking up mountains with a heavy pack (which might make you wobbly), you probably don’t need them. Lighter, low-top day hikers or trail running shoes with stable footbeds and nonslip soles are good choices for gravel and dirt paths. For smooth trails, a regular walking shoe may be enough.
Get a proper fit. If a shoe is too tight or too loose, you may be more prone to taking a spill. Before you hit the trail, walk around with your new shoes indoors to ensure they’re comfortable and secure.
Consider Walking Poles
Try before you buy. “Poles can help you balance and feel more stable by widening your base of support,” Fox says. But shop around: They come in various styles, and some have hand straps for convenience and security.
Minimize Distractions
Put away your phone. “The physical and mental demands are higher when the environment is less predictable,” Fox says. “Anything that takes your attention away makes it harder.” If you need to use your phone or want to take a picture, do it standing still—preferably on level ground.
Use a backpack or hip pack. Stow your keys, water, and anything else you bring along. Keeping your hands free makes it easier to balance, and you don’t have to worry about dropping anything.
Wear well-fitting clothes. Seams that rub, pants that slide down, or shoelaces that keep opening can all divert your attention from staying steady on a path.
Adjust Your Walk
With every step you take, sensory nerves throughout your body relay messages to your brain, prompting changes in posture and walking pattern to accommodate varying terrain. Many adjustments happen automatically, but you can be proactive too: Try slowing your pace, bending your knees slightly, engaging your core, taking shorter steps, and picking up (rather than dragging) your feet.
Editor’s Note: A version of this article also appeared in the July 2023 issue of Consumer Reports On Health.
