Troy Hurst holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Carroll University. He is a physical therapist specializing in both athletic and vestibular rehabilitation with an emphasis on performance running.
We all need some degree of autonomy in our daily lives. We want to do the things we enjoy and run errands without having to rely on others. We need to be physically active, to exercise at least every other day, for our health (1).
Standing balance is necessary for all of these activities. A good standing balance allows us to move around easily, ensuring our safety and independence.
There are two types of standing balance: static and dynamic. Static standing balance refers to our ability to maintain a stable upright position while standing still. On the other hand, dynamic standing balance involves maintaining stability while moving or performing different activities.
Here’s everything you need to know about dynamic standing balance, why it matters, and how you can improve it.
Dynamic standing balance is the ability to maintain stability and control while performing movements or activities in a standing position. It involves the coordination of multiple systems in your body, including your muscles, joints, sensory organs, and nervous system.
Your body constantly makes adjustments to maintain balance and prevent falls as you move around. This requires precise timing and coordination between different parts of the body.
For example, when you take a step forward while walking, your brain sends signals to your leg muscles to generate enough force for propulsion. At the same time, it also receives feedback from your eyes, inner ear, and joints to maintain your center of gravity and prevent you from falling.
This complex process is what we call dynamic standing balance.
When it comes to weight loss, progress is made by inches, not miles, so it’s much harder to track and a lot easier to give up. The BetterMe: Health Coaching app is your personal trainer, nutritionist, and support system all in one. Start using our app to stay on track and hold yourself accountable!
An example of dynamic standing balance is walking on an uneven surface, such as a sandy beach or a rocky trail. As you move, your body must constantly adjust to maintain stability, coordinating your muscles, joints, and sensory feedback to prevent falls and keep you moving smoothly (2).
Other examples of dynamic standing balance in different contexts include:
Dancing: Whether you’re performing a waltz or breaking out into freestyle, dancing requires constant adjustments to maintain balance. As you spin, twist, or leap, your body coordinates movement to keep you steady on your feet.
Playing Sports: In sports such as soccer or basketball, athletes must quickly change direction, jump, and land without losing balance. The ability to maintain dynamic balance allows them to execute plays effectively and avoid injuries.
Climbing Stairs: As you ascend or descend stairs, your body must adjust to changes in elevation and maintain balance with each step. This involves coordinating your leg muscles and using visual and proprioceptive cues to keep you upright.
Carrying Groceries: Walking home with a heavy grocery bag requires dynamic balance to prevent you from tipping over. Your body compensates for the uneven weight distribution by adjusting posture and gait.
Recreational Activities: Engaging in activities such as rollerblading or skateboarding demands high levels of dynamic balance. The constant motion and need to navigate turns and obstacles challenge your body’s ability to stay balanced.
Gardening: While bending and reaching for plants or tools, dynamic balance helps you maintain stability, particularly when working on uneven ground or shifting positions frequently.
Playing with Children: Activities such as running after children in a park or playing catch involve dynamic balance, as you often need to stop, start, and change direction quickly.
These examples highlight the diverse roles dynamic standing balance plays in our daily lives, supporting our ability to move efficiently and safely in various environments.
Read more: Green Exercise: Discover the Benefits of Outdoor Activities
The difference between dynamic and static balance lies in the type of movement that is involved. Static balance refers to the ability to maintain stability while standing still, whereas dynamic balance involves maintaining balance during active movements (3).
Static balance relies on postural control, which is the ability to align and coordinate different parts of your body in one position. This includes using visual and proprioceptive feedback to adjust posture and muscle tension as needed.
In contrast, dynamic balance requires rapid adjustments to changing conditions while you’re moving. It also involves anticipatory control, where your brain predicts changes in movement and prepares for them before they happen.
We need both types of balance. Without static balance, we couldn’t stand upright without falling. And without dynamic balance, we would struggle to move around and perform daily activities.
Dynamic standing balance is crucial for maintaining overall physical function and independence. Here are five reasons why it’s important, supported by scientific evidence:
Falls are a leading cause of injury and disability among older adults. According to the CDC, falls account for over 80% of all emergency department visits and hospital admissions for hip fractures (15).
Maintaining good dynamic standing balance can help reduce fall risk by improving your body’s ability to adjust to changes in movement, such as tripping or slipping on an uneven surface (5).
Research has also shown that balance training programs can significantly reduce the risk of falls in older adults by improving their dynamic standing balance skills (5).
These Balance Exercises For Seniors are low-impact and perfect for improving your balance.
Dynamic balance involves multiple systems in the body, including muscular strength, proprioception, vision, and coordination. These factors also play an important role in athletic performance (6).
For athletes, possessing good dynamic standing balance can improve their agility, speed, and reaction time on the field or court. It can also help prevent injuries by enhancing their ability to control movements and maintain stability during intense physical activity (7).
Maintaining good dynamic standing balance is essential for activities in your daily life, such as getting dressed or carrying groceries. The ability to balance dynamically helps you navigate various environments and perform different tasks without losing stability.
In fact, research has shown that older adults with better dynamic standing balance also have better functional abilities, such as walking speed and lower extremity strength (8).
Several studies have found a link between balance and cognitive function, which suggests that good dynamic standing balance may benefit your brain health (9).
One study in older adults found better postural control and dynamic balance to be associated with higher cognitive performance. Another study in middle-aged adults showed improved working memory after participating in a balance training program (9).
The exact mechanisms behind this relationship are not yet fully understood. Many theorize that activities that challenge balance and coordination can improve brain health by enhancing neural connections and cognitive processing speed.
Maintaining good dynamic standing balance requires a strong core and good posture. This means engaging the muscles in your abdomen, back, hips, and legs to keep you upright (8).
Regularly challenging your balance through activities such as yoga or Pilates can help improve postural control and strengthen these muscle groups. Stronger core muscles also play a role in preventing lower-back pain and injuries (11).
Having good dynamic standing balance can help you maintain your independence and carry out daily activities without assistance. This can positively impact your quality of life by promoting a sense of self-confidence and autonomy.
Studies have also found that older adults with better dynamic standing balance have higher levels of physical activity, which is associated with better health outcomes and overall well-being (12).
As you age, your balance tends to decline due to changes in muscle strength, joint flexibility, and sensory feedback. This can increase the risk of falls and limit your ability to perform daily tasks independently (4).
However, research has shown that regular balance training can help older adults maintain and even improve their dynamic standing balance, supporting healthy aging and reducing the risk of falls (13).
Here’s how you can assess dynamic standing balance both at home and through professional evaluations.
BetterMe: Health Coaching app helps you achieve your body goals with ease and efficiency by helping to choose proper meal plans and effective workouts. Start using our app and you will see good results in a short time.
Supervision during testing is crucial to prevent falls, especially for older adults or those with existing balance issues. Always ensure a safe environment and have assistance available when necessary.
Any exercise that challenges your balance can be beneficial. However, some specifically target dynamic standing balance, including:
Hip abduction engages the muscles in your hips and legs to stabilize the body while standing on one leg. Specifically, it involves the gluteus medius.
Located on the side of the hip, this muscle helps stabilize the pelvis and maintain balance. It also involves the tensor fasciae latae, a small muscle of the anterolateral hip that extends into the iliotibial (IT) band that runs along the outside of your thigh and helps stabilize the lateral knee joint.
How to Perform:
Hip extension is essential for enhancing dynamic standing balance by focusing on the posterior muscles of the hip and thighs. This exercise primarily works the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the buttocks, which plays a crucial role in stabilizing the pelvis during movement.
In addition, the hamstrings (which are actually a group of three muscles), located at the back of the thigh, assist in this movement, contributing to overall strength and stability.
How to Perform:
Squats are a fundamental exercise that enhances lower-body strength and improves dynamic standing balance by engaging multiple muscle groups, notably the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus. Squats promote stability through functional movement patterns that mimic everyday activities.
How to Perform:
This variation of the squat targets balance much more intensely by requiring one leg to perform the movement, thereby engaging the gluteus medius and improving stability even further.
How to Perform:
Sumo squats alter your stance to enhance balance while also targeting the inner thighs, engaging muscles such as the adductors, quadriceps, and glutes.
How to Perform:
Read more: 5 Flexibility Exercises for a More Supple You
Tandem walking is an effective exercise for improving dynamic balance by challenging your ability to walk in a straight line with one foot directly in front of the other. This exercise helps enhance stability and coordination, which is essential for preventing falls.
How to Perform:
Heel-to-toe walking further refines balance by requiring focused control while moving. This exercise promotes core strength and enhances proprioception, or body awareness, which are essential for maintaining stability during daily activities.
How to Perform:
To train dynamic standing balance:
Yes, walking is considered a dynamic balance activity as it involves maintaining stability while moving. It requires coordination and control of different muscle groups to keep the body upright and prevent falls while in motion (14). Nearly every sport requires dynamic balance, including gymnastics, dancing, skateboarding, surfing, and various forms of martial arts. Athletes rely on their ability to stay stable and coordinated while executing complex movements. If the weight shifting involves dynamic movement of your feet, such as weight shifting that occurs during gait, then yes, it requires dynamic balance. Weight shifting with a stationary foot position is classified as static balance. Jogging is absolutely a dynamic exercise. It requires continuous movement and engages various muscle groups to maintain balance and momentum. Jogging also improves overall cardiovascular health and enhances coordination and agility.Frequently Asked Questions
Is walking dynamic balance?
What sport uses dynamic balance?
Is weight shifting dynamic balance?
Is jogging a dynamic exercise?
Dynamic standing balance refers to the ability to maintain stability during active movements, while static balance involves maintaining stability while standing still. Both types of balance are essential for daily activities and overall physical function.
Having good dynamic standing balance can help reduce the risk of falls, enhance athletic performance, support functional movement, improve brain health, and ultimately improve your quality of life as you age.
Regularly incorporating balance training into your exercise routine can help you maintain these skills and support healthy aging. So it’s important to prioritize improving and maintaining both types of balance in order to live a safe, independent, and active life.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
BetterMe, its content staff, and its medical advisors accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, misstatements, inconsistencies, or omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal, professional or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any content.
You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.