Why Balance Is Like Blood Pressure—And What You Can Do to Improve Yours
It’s remarkable that in 2025, when checking blood pressure is a routine part of medical care, the same can’t be said for balance — despite falls being the number one cause of injury and death in older adults.
Most “fall risk screenings” older adults receive come down to two questions:
Have you fallen?
Are you afraid of falling?
That’s it.
Not only are these questions based on memory and fear — both unreliable — but they miss the point entirely. A fall can often set off a cascade of negative effects, resulting in loss of mobility, lower quality of life, and even accelerate cognitive decline. If you’ve already fallen, by definition, any care is reactive, not proactive. This approach leaves older adults and their families unaware of real risks and robs them of the chance to take simple steps that could prevent a fall in the first place.
What If We Treated Balance Like Blood Pressure?
When it comes to cardiovascular health, no one waits for a heart attack before taking action. Blood pressure measurement is routine throughout life. If your numbers are high, your doctor looks at contributing factors like diet, sleep, stress, and exercise, and recommends changes (or medication) to help bring your pressure down. It’s proactive. It’s specific. And it works.
Balance can, and should, be treated the same way.
Like blood pressure, balance isn’t a fixed trait. It changes from one day to the next and can be influenced by:
Sleep quality
Medications
Hydration
Stress
Fatigue
Physical activity
And like blood pressure, you can measure balance quickly and easily — without needing to fall first.
A Better Way to Know Your Balance
Imagine a 60-second standing test that tells you your balance score and your risk of falling in the next 12 months. A test which has undergone rigorous clinical and real-world study, results published in peer-reviewed journals. No guesswork. Just a clear, objective measure*.
If your score indicates a high risk, you don’t need to panic — but you do need to act. Your care team can review possible causes like medications, recent illness, fatigue, or low activity levels. Then, together, you can create a simple plan that might include:
Balance boosting exercises or physical therapy
Better hydration and nutrition
Sleep support
A follow-up test to track your progress
The Best News? You Can Improve—Fast
Unlike blood pressure, which often needs long-term medication or significant lifestyle shifts to change, balance can improve quickly. In one study, older adults went from high risk to a lower risk category in just 34 days by becoming aware of their score and taking small steps to improve. In another, participants in physical therapy showed improvement in as little as 2–4 weeks.
Thanks to hundreds of studies over the last 30+ years, we now know that:
Muscle strength can be improved at any age
Balance can be improved at any age
The key is knowing where you stand — literally — and doing something about it
What You Can Do Today
Ask your doctor or physical therapist for an objective balance test — not just a questionnaire.
Find out your score — don’t wait for a fall to tell you there’s a problem.
Take action — simple exercises, better sleep, and staying active all help.
Recheck your balance every few months — just like you do with blood pressure.
Let’s Change the Conversation Around Aging and Falls
Too often, we hear “falling is just part of getting older.” But we don’t say that about high blood pressure or broken bones. Falls aren't just accidents — they're often signs that something’s off in your balance system.
The good news? You can take control. And you don’t have to do it alone. Community centers and senior living communities are beginning to offer technology and education that puts the power back in your hands—so you can stay upright, independent, and confident for years to come.
Next time you visit your doctor, arm yourself with our printable Balance Health Checklist to make sure you receive the care you deserve.
*This refers specifically to the ZIBRIO Stability scale, which has been shown to be 2-5 times better than currently used clinical tools (like functional tests) at identifying people at high risk for falling.