The # 1 Exercise for Balance

When you think about a total body exercise program, your balance might not be top of mind.

But balance is crucial for mobility and daily living activities, says Dr. Karl B. Fields, a sports medicine and family medicine physician at Cone Health in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Balance exercises also improve stability and reduce the risk of falls. That’s especially important for older adults, as falls are the leading cause of injury in people 65 and older; 1 in 4 in that age group fall every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A 2025 study in Neurobiology of Aging found that six months of balance training improved the balance of older adults also by helping them use their brains more efficiently. 

Many types of exercise can help our balance, including yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates. But if you have time for only one, try standing on one foot once or twice a day. 

Although it’s incredibly simple, practicing your one-foot balance is “the most important thing you can do to improve stability in your ankle,” says Fields, former president of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine.

Standing on one foot also enhances your awareness of where your foot and ankle are in space — a critical skill to prevent falls that can diminish as we age, says Dr. Anthony Beutler, medical director for sports medicine at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City.

According to new research from the Mayo Clinic, the length of time we’re able to stand on one leg can provide insight into how well we’re aging. The study found it was a more important measure of aging than changes in strength or gait.

Beutler suggests incorporating one-legged stands into your daily routine, whether it’s while brushing your teeth at night or before your morning coffee.

A meta-analysis published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, which analyzed 108 studies that included 8,000 adults age 60-plus, found that regular balance exercises reduced fall rates by 24 percent. Research also shows that the training improves stability in those with diabetic neuropathy that affects sensation in the feet and legs. 

How to perform the best balance exercise in 4 steps

Here’s a step-by-step guide to a one-foot balance exercise you can do anywhere in just a few minutes. Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

Fields finds that his patients get “better sensory feedback if they are barefoot,” but some patients with arthritis or foot pain find balancing barefoot too uncomfortable. If that’s the case for you, do the exercise wearing shoes.

1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. If you need extra support, position yourself near a kitchen or bathroom counter or a sturdy piece of furniture that you can hold on to if necessary.

2. Keeping an upright posture, raise one foot behind you and balance on the opposite foot, holding the position for 10 seconds. Gradually work up to 30 seconds (or longer) at a time. As you improve, work on not holding on to anything for stability, and not moving your arms away from your body or letting your weight shift from side to side.

3. Switch feet and repeat on the other side.

4. Once you can balance on each leg for 30 seconds without holding on to a surface, increase the difficulty by trying it with your eyes closed. Or challenge yourself to balance on one leg while standing on a pillow or another surface that isn’t stable. Just make sure you’re near something you can grab in case you do lose your balance.

​Editor’s note: This article, first published December 20, 2024, has been updated with new information and with additional instructions in response to reader comments and questions. It has also been medically reviewed.