Have you ever noticed if your child is clumsy? Trips over a lot? Not keeping up with the other children? It could be because they have poor balance.
As a child develops we expect them to hit certain milestones: walking, talking, feeding, sitting up etc. as they get older and older. But at what age should they be able to balance on one leg and what it means if they can’t? Balance is a skill that is used in everyday life; running, jumping, walking, skipping climbing and an integral part to a child’s gross motor development.
Poor balance can often lead to fatigue of muscles, inactivity/not wanting to participate in activities, clumsiness and can increase the rate of injury. To test your child’s balance get them to stand on one foot and hold it for as long as you can.
Balance Milestones:
3-4years: Balance on each foot for 2-5 seconds
4-5years: Balance on each foot for 4-8 seconds
5-6years: Balance on each foot for >10 seconds
If your child is not reaching the balance milestones but isn’t showing any signs of poor balance then some simple balance exercises can help. Try getting them to balance on a pillow or a balance cushion for as long as they can. Making it a competition for the whole family is a fun way to get everyone involved and your child invested.
If your child is not reaching the balancing milestones and also showing signs of poor balance (as mentioned above) we do recommend coming to see a health professional.
For more information follow the link below to our video on balance.
https://www.facebook.com/ThePodiatryPoint/videos/559148301700660/