Get Your Balance Vacation-Ready
Cancel the newspaper delivery, hold the mail, notify the neighbors, book your pets into care… There’s usually quite a list to prepare for a week or few away from home. But whether you’re returning to a familiar holiday home or trying out someplace new, we have another item for your list, and one you should ideally start several months ahead.
We’re all familiar with Rehab (or rehabilitation): exercises you do after an injury or surgery to bring back strength and flexibility to your body. An increasing number of surgeons are also recommending pre-hab to get patients’ muscles in good shape before an operation, to assist in faster recovery times.
Did you know you can apply the same idea to preparing for a vacation? Increasing your level of exercise and doing the right type of exercise in the weeks or months leading up to a vacation can make a big difference in your stamina, ability and enjoyment. Let’s dig into why.
Why pre-hab makes your holiday better
Even if you’re going to a familiar place to do the same things you always do, vacations are different from normal life and offer different types of stimulation. You may be spending more time outdoors than usual, or you may be getting about and seeing the sights. All of this uses different muscles and stimulates your nervous system. Getting prepared will help you enjoy the whole day and not suddenly need a nap after lunch.
If you’re going somewhere new, you’ll be paying attention to finding your way and absorbing new sights and sounds, so you’ll be glad of the confidence that your body can keep up and get you to where you want to go - with enough energy to still enjoy yourself.
Travel often involves changes to sleep routines, which can be tiring. Whether you’ve crossed time zones or the bed isn’t comfortable or the location is noisy, being fit can help your body adapt better to sleep disruption in the short term. Disrupted or poor sleep is an important risk factor for a fall, which should definitely not be on your holiday bucket list!
What kind of pre-hab should you do?*
This will depend on the kind of vacation you’re going on. If it’s largely water-based, some time practising your swimming could be useful. If you’re going to be sight seeing, make sure you build up your leg and foot muscles by doing plenty of walking or jogging before you go. Plan on backpacking? Carry a weighted backpack to get used to the feel of it and how it affects your balance before you go.
No matter where you go, priming your balance system is an excellent way to help you get the most out of your vacation. Balance exercises are usually done slowly and consciously as you’re building the sensorimotor connections between your brain and your muscles and senses.
A good place to start is the free ZIBRIO BalanceCoach app, which has some exercises you can do at home, and even practise while you’re on holiday. They include ways of standing and walking which boost your balance system during everyday movements.
Leg strength is important no matter where you are going - your legs are your main anti-gravity muscles. If you don’t want to go to a gym, you can practise sitting back into a chair like a dining room chair, then standing up again. Try to build up to ten repetitions without using your arms. Don’t worry if you can’t do this at first, give yourself time to build up to it.
Some people like to do this exercise as a new habit, before they sit down to a meal.
If you already exercise
Including balance specific exercises like those in the BalanceCoach app can help make all your exercise better. Imagine moving over cobbled streets, staring up at historical architecture. Or hiking through a national park. You won’t want to be looking down at your feet the whole time. So some practise doing exercise while your eyes are distracted can be a helpful way to build up your balance ability and allow you to make the most out of your vacation.* If you’re new to this kind of exercise, start by doing them seated, or holding onto a sturdy surface. Always do balance exercises safely.
If you’ve run out of time
Don’t panic! You can still use the exercises in the BalanceCoach app to help you - do one while brushing your teeth or waiting for the coffee machine to brew. Balance prefers a little bit of attention every day, and we’ve developed these exercises to be something you can do anywhere. You can use your vacation to kick-start a new better-balanced you, and return to normal life with a new habit already in place.
*This page offers information and ideas only, it is not intended to diagnose any condition nor should it replace the qualified advice from your doctor or physical therapist. Always check with your doctor before starting new exercise.