Balance work is one of the most worthwhile habits for staying steady and independent, but it pays to set up properly first. Run through this checklist before your first home session.

Balance is a skill, not a fixed trait, and like any skill it responds to practice. Balance and strength exercises, along with activities such as tai chi, have been shown to improve stability and help prevent falls in older people. That matters because in Australia, falls are the leading cause of accidental injury for older people, and around half of all falls happen in or around the home. A few minutes of preparation before your first session makes the practice safer and far more likely to stick. Work through the checks below before you begin.

Check your space first

• Clear a small, flat area. You need roughly a body’s width of floor to stand and step sideways without clipping furniture. Pick a spot you can return to each time so the routine becomes automatic.
• Remove trip hazards. Loose rugs, trailing cords and slippers left on the floor are exactly the kinds of household hazards that contribute to falls. Roll them up or move them out of your practice zone.
• Check the lighting. Dim rooms make it harder to judge distances, which is already one of the changes many people notice with age. Practise in a bright room, ideally in daylight.
• Keep water nearby. Not drinking enough can leave you dehydrated, which makes it harder to stay strong and steady on your feet. A glass of water within reach is a simple safeguard.
• Have a phone or alert device within arm’s reach. You should never need to walk across the house to get help.

Check what you’ll hold on to

• Choose a sturdy, stable chair. It should be heavy or fixed in place, without wheels, and tall enough that you can rest your hands on the back without bending forward.
• Identify a bench or kitchen counter. Many recommended balance exercises, including knee lifts, heel raises and sit-to-stands, are done while lightly touching a bench or chair for support.
• Know where your nearest wall is. Guides such as the NHS balance routine suggest practising near a wall or stable chair in case you lose your balance. Fingertip contact is enough; you are not leaning on it.
• Test each surface before you trust it. Give the chair or bench a firm push. If it shifts, find something that does not.

Check your footwear and floor

• Wear shoes with thin, non-slip soles that support your feet. This is the standard footwear advice for tai chi, a balance practice in its own right, and it applies just as well to home balance work.
• Avoid socks alone on smooth floors. Socks offer no grip, and a slip during a heel-to-toe walk is the kind of fall you are trying to prevent.
• Consider both shod and barefoot practice. Doing the exercises in shoes may provide more grip and stability, while going barefoot can help strengthen the muscles that stabilise your feet. Barefoot work is best saved for when you feel confident and the floor is clean and warm.
• Match your floor to your confidence. A carpeted area gives a slightly softer landing than tiles. If your home is mostly hard flooring, practise close to your support surface until your balance feels reliable.

Check which exercises suit your starting point

The good news is that effective balance work needs no equipment. Simple movements done at home can help improve your health and mobility, and they are gentle enough for people who have not exercised in a while. Good starting options include:

• Weight shifts and single-leg stands, holding a bench or chair. NeuRA’s exercise specialists suggest holding single-leg movements for about five seconds before swapping sides.
• Heel raises, rising onto the balls of your feet and holding for about three seconds before lowering.
• Sit-to-stands from a chair, using your arms for balance if needed. To get more from the movement, take a full three seconds to sit back down.
• Sideways walking and simple grapevine steps, moving slowly and in control. If you need support, rest your fingers lightly against the wall. The smaller the step, the more you work on balance.
• Heel-to-toe walking along a hallway, placing one heel directly in front of the opposite toes.
• Step-ups on the bottom stair only, moving up and down slowly, up to five steps with each leg.

A few technique tips make any of these safer. Start each exercise on your non-dominant side, focus your gaze on a fixed point straight ahead, and keep your weight spread evenly between both feet. If standing feels unsteady, place your feet slightly farther apart to begin with.

Check whether a formal falls assessment is a better starting point

Home practice suits many people, but some situations call for professional input first. Healthdirect recommends speaking with your doctor before taking up a new or different kind of exercise if you live with a health condition or have not been very active lately. It also makes sense to talk to a doctor, physiotherapist or exercise physiologist before you begin if any of these apply:

• You have been feeling dizzy or lightheaded, or have noticed changes in how you move. Falls and dizziness can have many different underlying causes, so it is worth investigating rather than training through it.
• You have a history of falls. A doctor can work out how likely you are to fall and recommend practical ways to lower that risk.
• You have reduced sensation in your feet or legs, or live with diabetes. Diabetes can reduce sensation in your feet and legs, so it makes sense to get advice on a suitable starting point.
• You simply want a tailored plan. A physiotherapist or exercise physiologist can design a program that suits your body, your confidence level and any conditions you manage.

A falls assessment is not a roadblock. It usually means you start with the right exercises at the right level, which makes steady progress more likely.

Check how you’ll progress safely

Balance improves with challenge, but only one challenge at a time. The safest approach is to change a single variable, give yourself a few sessions to adapt, then change another.

Variable	Steadier version	Harder version
Hand support	Fingers resting on the bench	Fingertips touching, then hands free
Stance width	Feet slightly farther apart	Feet closer together
Hold time	Five seconds per side	Longer holds as you improve
Repetitions	A few on each leg	More repetitions as strength builds

Two rules deserve special mention. Reduce your hand support before you narrow your stance, since having something to touch does far more for safety than a wide base. And never combine closed-eye practice with single-leg standing at home; that combination belongs in a supervised setting, if anywhere.

As your balance improves, small variations such as trying different arm positions or shifting your gaze can add challenge without adding much risk. If you are also adding strength work, note that strength sessions benefit from about 48 hours of rest between them. Our article on what people get wrong about strength training after 60 covers how to pair the two sensibly.

Check who knows you’re exercising alone

• Tell someone your plan. Let a family member, neighbour or friend know when you practise and for how long.
• Prefer times when someone else is home if your balance is still unsteady, especially in the early weeks.
• Keep your phone or alert device on you, not in another room.
• Consider practising with a friend or joining a class. Healthdirect notes that exercising with a friend and choosing activities you enjoy helps you stay motivated. Tai chi classes are widely available and suited to all ages, and instructors can adapt movements for different levels of mobility. If you prefer home practice, libraries often stock resources and online options exist too.

Red flags that mean stop and ask for advice

Stop your session and speak with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about your own situation if you notice:

• Chest pain or pressure, or unusual breathlessness that does not settle when you rest.
• Dizziness or feeling faint, particularly if you feel you might fall mid-exercise.
• A sudden change in your balance, such as new unsteadiness or a fall during practice.
• Pain that is sharp, new or localised, rather than the mild muscle soreness that can follow unfamiliar exercise.
• Numbness, tingling or weakness that is different from usual.

Any of these deserves proper attention before you continue. It is also worth mentioning any fall during practice to your doctor, because a fall can point to a range of underlying health problems.

Balance work rewards patience more than intensity, and a safe setup is what makes patience possible. Once your space, supports and footwear are sorted, the exercises themselves are pleasantly simple. It also helps to look after the rest of your routine: our article on stretching basics explains where static and dynamic stretching fit around balance and strength work, and how to warm up before exercise gives you a simple way to prepare your body for every session.

Questions we get

How often should I do balance exercises after 60?

Aim for at least twice a week as a starting point. Research suggests practising for about two hours per week can significantly reduce falls risk for people over 65, and some evidence points to around three hours a week sustained for at least 12 weeks for measurable improvement.

Should I wear shoes or go barefoot for balance exercises?

Shoes with thin, non-slip soles that support your feet can give you more grip and stability. Barefoot practice can help strengthen the muscles that stabilise your feet, so some people use both, as long as the floor is safe underfoot.

When should I see a doctor before starting balance exercises?

If you have a health condition or have been mostly inactive, healthdirect recommends speaking with your doctor before you take up a new kind of exercise. It also makes sense to check in with a health professional if you feel dizzy or unsteady, because falls can have a wide range of underlying causes.

Is tai chi a good alternative to home balance exercises?

Yes, for many people. Studies suggest tai chi can improve balance and prevent falls in older people, and its movements can be adapted for different fitness and mobility levels. An experienced instructor who understands your health needs is worth finding.

This article is general information, not personalised medical or fitness advice. Talk to your GP, a physiotherapist or an accredited exercise physiologist before starting a new exercise program if you have a health condition or injury, are pregnant or haven’t been active for a while. In an emergency, call 000.