Balance and Flexibility

Mother and son stretching at a park together.

Balance and flexibility help your body do everyday activities and prevent falls and injuries.

What is balance and flexibility?

Balance is the part of physical activity that focuses on maintaining equilibrium both while standing still and while moving. Improving our balance can help us to avoid falls and potential injury.

Flexibility is how much we can move our muscles and joints through their full range of motion. Increasing our flexibility will help us do certain activities more easily, including everyday activities such as bending, walking, and using the stairs. It can also help improve our posture and relieve stress.

A person stretching at the park.

One way to work on balance and flexibility is by stretching. There are two categories of stretches:

Dynamic stretches involve movement and warm your muscles up for further exercise.
Static stretches are done stationary while holding the stretch for a certain amount of time. These are usually done after a workout or after long periods of not moving.

Balance and Flexibility Activities

Woman stretching with her daughter Try these stretches and exercises to target balance and flexibility!**

Use this handout to guide you through a 5-minute dynamic stretching and balance workout (PDF). It includes pictures and written instructions for each movement in the workout.
Are you interested in yoga? Check out yoga from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cooperative Extension. Their website has downloadable pictures and written instructions for several different poses.
- Are you a beginner to yoga or may need some extra support? Chair Yoga from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln may be for you!
Are video instructions more your style? These videos will lead you through balance exercises, lower body stretches, and upper body stretches. Each of these videos is only between 5 to 8 minutes long, perfect for if you only have a limited amount of time to add some movement into your day. Minutes Matter!

This video is provided by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. For more resources like this, visit the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. website at http://spendsmart.extension.iastate.edu”. Spend Smart. Eat Smart. is a registered trademark of Iowa State University.

**The participant should be aware of the typical dangers, hazards and risks that accompany any physical activity. Participants are aware of and shall assume all risk and liability for any and all injuries that may come from physical activity, including, but not limited to, sprains, breaks, tears, bruises, lacerations, falls, broken bones, head injuries, and heart or lung issues. You should always check with your primary care physician before starting any exercise regimen or physical activity.