By Tina Paulus FDNP
One of the things that I had some trouble with while I was at my worst in mold illness was balance and coordination. I found I could not go around corners without hitting them. That was tough for an ex-barrel racer that always worked on navigating corners well! I also had to lean against a wall or sit to put my shoes on. I even got to where I could not stand with my eyes closed without holding on to something to steady myself.
These balance and coordination problems can be helped. I found that in town the senior center had free exercise classes for elderly people to help them have better balance and coordination, and that you did not have to be elderly to partake. These were easy exercises to do, they tested your improvement over time, and there was someone always there to help should you need it. You can look at your senior centers, ask a physical therapist for some helpful exercises, or look online. But I would say if you have trouble with this to do exercises where you have help should you fall or even just need someone to help steady you.
There are a couple parts of the brain that control this balance and coordination, the cerebrum and cerebellum. The cerebrum is the large outer part of the brain and controls reading, thinking, learning, speech, emotions and planned muscle movements like walking. It also controls vision, hearing and other senses. The cerebellum, in the back of the brain, controls balance, coordination and fine muscle control (like walking). It also functions to maintain posture and equilibrium.
In mold illness, we get lots of inflammation in our brain from the mycotoxins. It not only effects our brains, but we can get inflammation and infection in the nose, ears, throat, etc. So there are lots of reasons why we may have balance and coordination problems. And it can also affect our contrast sensitivity in our eyes further making the problems worst by not being able to see as well as we used to.
Some symptoms that can result from these brain and sinus inflammation are not just a lack of balance and coordination, but also things like when you reach for an object you may reach beyond the object, slurred speech, speaking monotone with hesitation, when glancing at an object your eyes may shoot past and slowly come back to it, tremors, constant sinus congestion and ear aches.
So if you are having balance and coordination symptoms with mold illness you can try these exercises (make sure you have someone to help or at least watch you if you are unsteady) –
The flamingo stand is the easiest exercise. All you need to do is stand on one leg. While in this state, place one of your hands on a chair or some other good support and stretch the other leg forwards. At the beginning, you can stand on one leg for 10 to 15 seconds, then try repeating this about five times before moving to the other leg. Please ensure that you’re maintaining the right posture when performing the flamingo stand, by keeping your shoulders, back, and head straight and your ears above your shoulders. After mastering this technique, you can take it a notch higher by reaching for your stretched-out foot without letting it come into contact with the floor.
Toe the line begin at one wall with your heels touching the wall. Put one foot in front of the other foot so that your heel touches to the toes of the opposite foot. Move the foot that is against the wall in front of the other foot, putting your weight on your heel. Shift the weight to your toes and then repeat the walking motion. Take your time to ensure you are placing heel to toe. Walk like this for 20 steps. (After the first few steps, look forward, focusing on a single location to enable you to remain stable while you carry out the exercise).
Back leg raises are the best and simplest strength training exercises. Start by standing behind a chair. Then lift your right leg straight backwards. When doing this, try your best not to bend the knees. Remain in this position for a couple of seconds before returning your leg back down. Do the same for the other leg. The recommendation for this activity is fifteen times for each leg.
Side leg raises start in the same manner—by standing behind a chair with your feet shoulder width apart. Instead of stretching one of the legs backward, you should lift it to the side. Make sure you are standing up straight, head and toes facing forward. Raise one foot off the ground, bringing your leg up and out and hold for a second or two and then bring back down to the floor. Repeat with the other leg, alternating this process five times on each side. You can increase this frequency as you become more comfortable.
Balancing Wand use a cane, umbrella, or broom. This exercise can be performed while seated if need be. Depending on the item you’ve chosen, hold the bottom so that it’s resting firmly on the palm of your hand. If you have chosen a broom, remove the broom head before beginning. The idea here is to hold the stick for as long as you can. Do not focus too much on one side. Alternate your hands from time to time so that you balance both sides of your body evenly.
Wall pushups are another balance exercise. It is pretty simple—you just need to be close to one of the walls of your home. You should begin by standing at an arm’s length in front of a wall. Next, lean frontward gently and try placing your palms on the wall. You’ll need to keep your feet firmly on the floor as you attempt to bring your body towards the wall. Next, push yourself backward up to that point where your arms are stretched out straight. Perform this exercise about 15 to 20 times.
Squat to a Chair. Begin by standing in front of a seat. Your legs should be hip-width apart. Ensure that your chest is raised slightly and then try lowering your hips back and down while bending at the knees. You are free to hover above the chair or simply sit down. The only precaution to take is to avoid extending your knees beyond the toes. Remain in this position where your entire body is leaning forward, starting from the hip region. Try pausing at the bottom of this movement then push through your feet before resuming your original position.
Heel raises. To start, stand upright (you can use a chair for balance at first); your feet ought to be hip-width apart. To gain balance during the first few minutes, you can place your hands on the sides. Next, you’re required to lift both of your heels so that you’ll only be balancing on the balls of your feet. Try lowering yourself back to the ground gently, and then repeat the process for at least ten times. This exercise can also be performed in a chair wherever you are. You can also use a hand weight if you want to improve on intensity.
A few more things you can do to help –
- Stay physically active in your life everyday
- Engage in strength training
- Maintain a healthy weight
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