Balance in 6: Age-related balance decline

Because balance draws on multiple sensory systems, its assessment and rehabilitation typically involve identifying which system or systems are contributing to a given deficit, rather than treating balance as a single, uniform quality. This page reviews the anatomy and systems underlying balance, common contributing conditions, assessment approaches, and general exercise and recovery patterns.

What causes balance problems in older adults? Balance decline in older adults is typically multifactorial, involving age-related changes in the vestibular system, reduced muscle strength, slower reaction times, medication side effects, and sometimes vision changes. Yes — structured balance training is one of the most consistently supported interventions for reducing fall risk, with meaningful improvements often measurable within a few months of regular practice.

What is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo? Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, is a common inner ear condition causing brief episodes of spinning sensation triggered by specific head movements, related to displaced calcium crystals within the inner ear's balance organs.