Can you hop?
Can you hop?
I'm 60, and can't balance on either leg, eyes open or shut.
Three years ago I saw an orthopedist about my chronic Achilles tendonosis. He gave me a bunch of balance tests, all of which I failed miserably. He recommended I start walking with a cane to prevent falls. As I had just finished a summer of backpacking all over rugged trails in the Sierra with a few stumbles but no actual falls, not to mention winning my age group at a couple of half-marathons, I wasn't inclined to take him seriously. I've been clumsy all my life.
amkelley wrote:
I'm 60, and can't balance on either leg, eyes open or shut.
Three years ago I saw an orthopedist about my chronic Achilles tendonosis. He gave me a bunch of balance tests, all of which I failed miserably. He recommended I start walking with a cane to prevent falls. As I had just finished a summer of backpacking all over rugged trails in the Sierra with a few stumbles but no actual falls, not to mention winning my age group at a couple of half-marathons, I wasn't inclined to take him seriously. I've been clumsy all my life.
Racing a half marathon with a cane would be a boss move
4 minutes. That's with 3 martinis in me, too.
I very easily stood firm and unwaivered for 5 minutes I eventually became bored and quit.
This should be taken with a grain of salt as people with flatter feet or pronated ankles will struggle with this test regardless of their fitness.
But the bigger point is that people do not live much longer than about two years after reaching what doctor's call "frailty". Seniors who do not engage in any sort of exercise are more likely to reach frailty sooner than those who are relatively in shape.
I lasted 61 seconds and I'm 22 years old so I guess that means I'm healthy!!
Runningart2004 wrote:
Don’t lock your knee. Ever so slightly unlock your knee, keep core tight, control breathing and you’ll stay there all day.
Alan
Tried it. No difference.
One glass of wine brings me down from 20sec to 5, BTW. Don't drink and drive!
eurodonkey wrote:
Runningart2004 wrote:
Don’t lock your knee. Ever so slightly unlock your knee, keep core tight, control breathing and you’ll stay there all day.
Alan
Tried it. No difference.
One glass of wine brings me down from 20sec to 5, BTW. Don't drink and drive!
So we doing this in bare feet or with shoes? Should be big difference.
Let’s see:
No shoes, R foot 20 sec lots of hopping, L foot 12 sec.
With shoes.....yeah not much difference.
Really after about 5sec it becomes a struggle.
This can definitely be a trained activity. Find your balance point with eyes open. Then go into the test.
I admittedly have horrible balance and am lucky I can even walk a straight line!
Alan
I actually practice this while brushing my teeth. Because of a similar article I read years ago.
62 and run about 40 mph week on road, trails and track. No problem with eyes open, even on toes/ball of foot. Hopeless with eyes shut.
I have heard that it is something to do with small hairs in the ears, I know ear infections impact balance.
It happens because you're overdependent on visual cues.
Find somewhere free of obstacles and try running with your eyes shut for a few seconds. If you train yourself to do it well, you'll run more efficiently on pure reflex without needing time-consuming corrective adjustments from your visual cortex.
Wow, I’m 19 and this is really difficult for some reason. Took me a couple tries to get past 10 seconds. I work out my core a lot so i figured this would be a joke. Maybe it’s the pronation in my ankles or something.
Not gonna lie, this made me really sad.
I can balance all day with my eyes open but when I close my eyes I really start to wobble.
Bad Wigins wrote:
It happens because you're overdependent on visual cues.
Find somewhere free of obstacles and try running with your eyes shut for a few seconds. If you train yourself to do it well, you'll run more efficiently on pure reflex without needing time-consuming corrective adjustments from your visual cortex.
Derek Clayton tried that, ran right smack dab into a tree and injured his knee.
We have eyes and brains for a reason.
Lmao I lasted like 5 seconds
Are you allowed to spread your arms out to balance yourself?
That makes it easier.
62 and run about 40 mph week on road, trails and track.
40 mph is pretty good, gotta say.
Dumb Idea. wrote:
Bad Wigins wrote:
Find somewhere free of obstacles and try running with your eyes shut for a few seconds.
Derek Clayton tried that, ran right smack dab into a tree and injured his knee.
We have eyes and brains for a reason.
Brains to know trees are obstacles, and eyes to find a place with no trees.
I tried this early this morning and just got out of emergency care now.