My balance is awful, just fell over when crouching down

[Athyrium]

I've been vaguely aware for a while that my balance isn't brilliant, I sometimes joke that I'm a human pin ball, I ricochet around the house bouncing off door jams etc. It seems worse lately though. I went for a woodland walk yesterday and nearly fell a couple of times...I'll be stepping over something and suddenly feel woo and have to right myself. Just now I went to read the gas meter, crouched down to see it, and just went sideways and ended up on the ground (hurt my hand.) I'm mid 50s, otherwise healthy, and today's tumble has worried me. At the back of my mind I'm aware that I'm basically waiting for a bad fall. This isn't normal is it? Any ideas as to what or why? I will be checking in with GP but would be interested in other people's experiences.

Get checked out at the GP, make sure you don’t have anything like an inner ear issue. Once you’ve done that, assuming you get the all-clear, then you can improve your balance. It’s a trainable skill. Yoga might help, or Pilates.

Definitely address it now, because it isn’t likely to spontaneously improve and you don’t want to be leaving it 20 years and getting to the age where you stop bouncing back from falls.

Yes, it's something you need to get checked out. But you can train yourself too.

Very simple - stand on one leg for as long as you can, and aim to build up the time you can do that. If you have a bosu ball this makes the exercise even better.

@BIWI The weird thing is that I can stand on one leg perfectly well (tho don't ask me to shut my eyes and do it!) It seems to be when I'm moving around that I suddenly lose balance.

Hmm. Definitely sounds like a GP issue then.

This could be vertigo or another inner ear disorder. Pop to your GP and they will investigate.

agree with pp.

go see the gp.
write down the occassions where it happens.
also: do you drag your feet?

have your eyes checked as well.

See a physio for help working out what exercises to do to improve. They'll assess what is the weak link.

It's important to address it. Stability is a key strength as we age.

@greenacrylicpaint Well funny you say that, I wonder if I do have some foot dragging issue...I keep tripping going up the stairs so assume I'm not lifting my feet well.
@picklemewalnuts Well exactly, I'm keen to age well so this has thrown me! Physio sounds like a good idea, will investigate.

I suffer from something similar, though I haven't actually fallen over yet I have come close to it.
@Athyrium do you go light headed easily when standing up / bending over/ turning round ?
I tend to.
I have had my BP checked, blood sugar , and eyes all fine.

My DB say I need stableisers fitting to my legs !

@DeanStockwelll I have had issues with low BP so pretty confident it's not that since I know how that feels, if you know what I mean. If you find any decent leg stablelisers do let me know! 😅

Similar here - balance can worsen with age, people don't realise that core strength and balance do need maintenance, particularly for people who never had great core strength or balance to start with.

dragging feet can be an indicator for neurological issues (ms for example).
mention it to the gp

Following. I'm always falling over. Three times in last couple months. once wearing wedges and twisted my ankle on a stone. Once tripping over the blooming dogs. And once over a kerb. Very embarrassing and I'm starting to get paranoid too.

I fall over but I think it's dyspraxia

I have noticed it's got much worse in the last couple of years. I'm 46.

I now walk much more slowly because I've had two quite big injuries.

I am the same in that balance in yoga or some such is fine, so doing exercises to help seems odd. I do have occasional vertigo and wonder if there is a residual something that still remains when I'm not feeling dizzy.

if it's snowy or icy, I am badly stuck. Last time it took me about 30 mins or more to do the 10 min walk to the station in snow.

Tell the receptionist you've had symptoms for 12 weeks. Insist on appointment. I know it doesn't come naturally to many of us.

My friend was referred to a balance clinic.