Today's 60 year old men and women are generally healthier and more active than the same age group just a generation ago.

However, they are not getting there living a sedentary lifestyle. Nature slowly robs us of muscle and bone mass over time. Unfortunately, the loss of balance is also associated with aging. Loss of balance due to aging isn't just due to a natural neurological decline, but age related loss of muscle and bone mass also contributes to the instability of tendons, ligaments and joints.

Active 60 year olds in good health and fitness don't just arrive. They need to be proactive when it comes to exercise and nutrition to maintain that healthy lifestyle.

Many so-called experts on balance fail to realize that variations of ground under foot are not being trained while performing standard static balance training exercises under optimal conditions like hard, flat surfaces, even if these exercises are performed under load.

Let's take a look at some common ground surface variations that can disrupt balance.

• Snow and ice
• Sand and gravel
• Soft or muddy soil
• Floor coverings
• Lawns & other wet surfaces

Static balance exercises are fine for rehab, but they are boring and fail in the areas of balance recovery and proprioception. Many seniors are skiing, snowboarding, playing tennis, golf and even team sports. To maintain this active physical and sporting lifestyle, dynamic balance training is needed.

This is where a Vew-do Balance Board comes in. First, unlike fitness equipment (weight machines, treadmills and stair climbers), using a Vew-Do Board is recreational and fun. And because the board not only disrupts balance, but also stimulates balance recovery strategies, the simple action of using the board forces recruitment and strengthening of the musculature surrounding joints, ligaments and tendons.

People don't look at conventional exercise equipment and think of them as fun and recreational. One of the reasons Vew-Do Balance Board riders use them is because they are simply fun to ride.

By: Rick Contrata