Do you ever feel unsteady on your feet or find yourself losing balance during everyday tasks like walking, standing up, or reaching into a closet? You're definitely not alone.
Difficulty balancing is one of the most common challenges faced by people with conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), but it can affect anyone. The good news is that improving your balance at home is absolutely possible—and today, we're going to show you exactly how to do it!
By the way—have we met? Hi, I'm Dr. Gretchen, a physical therapist and MS-certified specialist. I've dedicated my career to understanding Multiple Sclerosis and helping individuals overcome its symptoms. Through my work, I provide MS-specific exercises, easy-to-understand educational videos, and a supportive community to enhance the quality of life for those with MS. Thousands of people have improved their everyday lives using these research-backed strategies, finding renewed hope and confidence in their ability to continue progressing and living life to its fullest.
Without any further introduction, let’s work through simple, effective strategies to help regain your balance at home!
Balance affects nearly everything we do, from walking and climbing stairs to reaching into a cabinet or getting in and out of the car. Poor balance can lead to falls, injuries, and a loss of confidence in daily activities. Improving your balance can help you feel safer, more independent, and more confident in your everyday life.
Did you know there are actually three main ways our bodies maintain balance? Understanding these strategies can help you pinpoint exactly what's causing your balance issues:
Often, people who struggle with balance—especially those with neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis—find their ankle strategy isn't working well (or at all). This means their body skips right to the hip or stepping strategies, increasing the risk of falls.
Today, we'll focus primarily on improving your ankle strategy—your body's first line of defense.
Before jumping into exercises, it's helpful to test your current balance level. Here are two simple tests you can do safely at home:
This position mimics the way we walk:
Single-leg stance is another important measure for walking stability:
When you’re testing your balance, make sure you're always safe! If you feel unstable, have something sturdy nearby you can grab onto if necessary.
Now that you've tested your current balance level, let's dive into some simple yet effective exercises you can do right from home:
Strong ankles are essential for good balance. This exercise strengthens muscles at the front of your ankle and shin—helping improve ankle stability.
Here's an easy exercise you can do while seated:
Strong hips support better overall balance. This exercise works on both strengthening and stretching your hip muscles.
Here's an easy exercise you can do while seated:
Strong thigh muscles help stabilize knees and ankles! While this exercise is challenging, you can still do it while comfortably seated.
Here's an easy exercise you can do while seated:
Squats strengthen many lower-body muscles—hips, knees, calves, ankles—all crucial for better balance. The best part? You can do this standing or seated!
Seated Squats:
Standing Variation:
Weight shifting is a foundational movement for walking and balance. This exercise helps you practice transferring weight safely and effectively between your legs.
Here's how to do it:
Tip: Use a walker, trekking poles, cane, or other mobility aids for added safety if needed.
This exercise focuses on lateral weight transfer to improve stability during everyday movements like turning or stepping sideways.
Here's how to weight shift safely:
Stretching tight muscles helps improve flexibility and overall stability. Here's one simple stretch that's great for improving hip flexibility:
To see real improvement in your balance over time, there are several tips to implement into your daily routine. Here is what I recommend:
Remember those tests we did earlier? Revisit them regularly—every few weeks—to track improvements over time. Seeing progress can help keep you motivated to continue practicing!
Your exercises might look different from someone else's—and that's okay! What's important is feeling muscle activation in the correct areas (ankles during lifts, hips/glutes during clamshells, thighs during squats). As long as you're feeling these areas working clearly, you're doing it right—even if it looks different from others' forms.
If you'd like additional guidance or personalized MS-specific exercises designed by an MS specialist physical therapist, consider joining my Free 5-Day MS Challenge for Strength & Walking!
This challenge is perfect for anyone living with MS who wants practical strategies to improve strength and mobility. Over five days, you'll learn:
Have questions about improving balance at home? Please feel free to DM me on Instagram @doctor.gretchen.
Dr. Gretchen Hawley's The MSing Link offers a comprehensive guide to taking control of your MS symptoms and improving your mobility through MS-specific exercises and strategies.
6000+ copies sold in over 13 countries!
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As a physical therapist & Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist, I have spent the last 10 years teaching people with MS how to feel more confident & empowered through MS-specific exercises and strategies.
If you want support and encouragement, plus a healthy dose of tough love, come follow me on Instagram (@doctor.gretchen) or on YouTube @DoctorGretchenHawley. It's where I share daily tips, tricks, and information about new offers — plus, you’re bound to feel more empowered, hopeful, & motivated after watching each post and video!
Questions? Email me at Hello@DoctorGretchenHawley.com
