LEVEL I BALANCE EXERCISES

Once a day do the exercises marked by your therapist.

Sink Hip Circle I

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with both hands
3. Do not move shoulders or feet
4. Make a big circle to left with hips
5. Repeat 5 times
6. Make a big circle to right with hips
7. Repeat 5 times

(A)

Sink Toe Stand I

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with both hands
3. Go up on your toes
4. Hold for count of 5
5. Then come down
6. Repeat 10 times

(B)

One Leg Sink Stand I

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with both hands
3. Stand on your left leg for count of 5
4. Stand on your right leg for count of 5
5. Repeat 10 times

(C)
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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

Sink Side Step I

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with both hands
3. Move hands along kitchen sink as you
step left 5 steps
4. Step with both feet to right 5 steps
5. Repeat 5 times

(D)

Two Hand Alternate Leg Out and In I

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with both hands
3. Stand on your left leg and move right
leg out to the side and back again
4. Repeat on opposite side
5. Continue to alternate each leg
6. Repeat 10 times

(E)

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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

Sitting Arm Circles I

1. Sit up straight on bed or chair

2. If you sit in a chair, do not lean back
3. Arms by your side with palms facing
inward
4. Raise both arms up overhead
5. Then arms out to side shoulder level
6. Then arms down
7. Maintain an erect posture during the
exercise
8. Repeat 10 times

(F)

Sitting Knee Lifts I

1. Sit up straight on bed or chair

2. If you sit in a chair, do not lean back
3. Arms by your side
4. Lift left knee up towards ceiling
5. Lower left knee
6. Lift right knee up towards ceiling
7. Lower right knee
8. Repeat 10 times (G)

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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

 LEVEL II BALANCE EXERCISES
Once a day do the exercises marked by your therapist.
Sitting Knee Lifts II

1. Sit up straight on bed or couch

2. Put arms across chest
3. Lift left knee up towards ceiling
4. Lower left knee
5. Lift right knee up towards ceiling
6. Lower right knee
7. Repeat 10 times

(A)

Sitting March II

1. Sit up straight on bed or couch

2. Arms by side, palms facing inward
3. Keep knees bent
4. Lift right leg and left arm
5. Lower knee and arm
6. Lift left leg and right arm
7. Lower knee and arm
8. Repeat 10 times (B)

Sitting Reach and Turn II

1. Sit on edge of bed or couch, feet flat on floor

2. Reach up and across body with your right arm
3. Turn head and trunk to the left as you reach
up and across
4. Try to go far enough so that your right hip lifts
off the bed as you reach and turn
5. Do the same reaching up and across with left
arm
6. Repeat 5 times

(C)
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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

One Hand Sink Toe Stand II

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with one hand
3. Go up on your toes
4. Hold for count of 5
5. Then come down
6. Repeat 10 times

(D)

One Leg Sink Stand II

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with one hand
3. Stand on your left leg for count of 5
4. Stand on your right leg for count of 5
5. Repeat 10 times

(E)

Sink Side Step II

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with one hand
3. Move hand along kitchen sink as you
step left 5 steps
4. Step right 5 steps
5. Repeat 5 times

(F)

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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

One Hand Alternate Leg Out and In II

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with one hand
3. Stand on your left leg and move right
leg out to the side and back again
4. Repeat on opposite side
5. Continue to alternate each leg
6. Repeat 10 times

(G)

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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

 LEVEL III BALANCE EXERCISES
Once a day do the exercises marked by your therapist.

Sink Leg Cross III

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with both hands
3. Move hands along kitchen sink as you
step
4. Cross left foot in front of right foot
5. Take a side step with your right foot
passing it out from behind your left foot
6. Repeat steps 4 & 5 three times
7. Now, cross right foot in front of left foot
(reverse directions) (A)
8. Take a side step with your left foot
passing it out from behind your right foot
9. Repeat steps 7 & 8 three times

One Leg Sink Stand III

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Balance with fingertips of one hand only
3. Stand on your left leg for count of 5
4. Stand on your right leg for count of 5
5. Do each leg 10 times

(B)

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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

Heel Stand III

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with both hands
3. Rock back on heels raising toes off the
floor
4. Hold this position for count of five
5. Return to normal standing position
6. Repeat 5 times

(C)

Sink Side Step III

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Do not hold onto sink
3. Step to left 5 steps
4. Step to right 5 steps
5. Repeat 5 times

(D)

Sink Toe Stand III

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Do not hold onto the sink
3. Go up on your toes
4. Hold for count of 5
5. Then come down
6. Repeat 10 times

(E)

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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

Sink Leg Swing III

1. Stand with left side toward kitchen sink

2. Hold on with left hand
3. Gently swing right leg forward and
backward as far as safe
4. Repeat 10 times
5. Turn around
6. Hold on with right hand
7. Swing left leg
8. Repeat 10 times

(F)

Sink Leg Lift III

1. As in previous exercise, stand with left

side toward kitchen sink
2. Hold on with left hand
3. Lift right leg out to side and back
4. Repeat 10 times, turn around
5. Hold on with right hand
6. Lift left leg out to side and back
7. Repeat 10 times

(G)

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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

 LEVEL IV BALANCE EXERCISES
Once a day do the exercises marked by your therapist.

One Leg Sink Stand IV

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Do not hold onto the kitchen sink
3. Stand on your left leg for count of 5
4. Stand on your right leg for count of 5
5. Do each leg 10 times

(A)

Heel Toe Walk IV

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with both hands
3. Do not let go of kitchen sink while
moving
4. Walk backwards on heels 4 small steps
5. Walk forward to kitchen sink on toes 4
small steps
6. Repeat 10 times

(B)

Side Bend, Feet Apart IV

1. Stand near kitchen sink

2. Stand with feet one foot apart
3. Arms out to side at shoulder height
4. Tip left arm down
5. Return to upright position
6. Tip right arm down
7. Return to upright position
8. Repeat 10 times

(C)
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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

Tandem Walking IV

1. Stand with left side toward kitchen sink

2. Hold on with left hand
3. Move hand along kitchen sink as you
step
4. Place right heel directly in front of toes
of left foot
5. Now place left heel directly in front of
toes of right foot
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 three times
7. Turn around
8. Hold with right hand
9. Repeat steps 4 and 5 three times

(D)

Cross-Over Walking IV

1. Stand with left side toward kitchen sink

2. Hold on with left hand
3. Move hand along kitchen sink as you
step forward
4. Cross left foot over right foot
5. Cross right foot left foot
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 three times
7. Turn around
8. Hold with right hand
9. Repeat steps 4 and 5 three times

(E)

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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

One Leg Kitchen Sink Toe Stand IV

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Hold on with both hands
3. Stand on right leg
4. Push up on toes of right foot
5. Hold for count of 5
6. Then come down
7. Repeat 5 times
8. Stand on left leg
9. Push up on toes of left foot
10. Hold for count of 5
11. Then come down (F)
12. Repeat 5 times

(G)
Standing Arm Circles Feet Apart IV

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Stand with feet apart, arms at side
3. Raise both arms straight up overhead
4. Lower arms out and down to shoulder height
5. Continue to lower arms until arms are at side
6. Repeat 10 times

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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

 LEVEL V BALANCE EXERCISES
Once a day do the exercises marked by your therapist.

Standing Arm and Leg March V

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

2. Raise right knee up
3. Touch right knee with left hand
4. Lower right knee
5. Now raise left knee up
6. Touch left knee with right hand
7. Lower left knee
8. Repeat 10 times

(A)

Sink Rebound V

1. Stand facing kitchen sink

approximately 2 feet away from sink
2. Lean forward toward the sink catching
body with hands
3. Weight should be on the balls of your
feet
4. Now push yourself back to an upright
position
5. Body weight should be squarely
distributed on feet
6. Repeat 10 times
(B)

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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

 (C)
Standing Arm Circles Feet Together V

1. Stand facing the kitchen sink

2. Stand with feet together, arms at side
3. Raise both arms straight up overhead
4. Lower arms out and down to shoulder height
5. Continue to lower arms until arms are at side
6. Repeat 10 times

Side Bend, Feet Together V

1. Stand near kitchen sink

2. Stand with feet together
3. Arms out to side at shoulder height
4. Tip left arm down
5. Return to upright position
6. Tip right arm down
7. Return to upright position
9. Repeat 10 times

(D)
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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.

Forward Lunge V

1. Stand with side to kitchen sink

2. Hands on hips
3. Lunge forward with right foot
4. Return to start position
5. Lunge forward with left foot
6. Return to start position
7. Repeat 10 times

(E)

Side Lunge, Hands on Hips V

1. Stand near kitchen sink

2. Hands on hips
3. Lunge to side on left foot
4. Return to upright position
5. Lunge to side on right foot
6. Return to upright position
7. Repeat 10 times

(F)

Standing Reach and Turn V

1. Stand facing the kitchen sink

2. Reach up and across your body with
your right arm
3. Turn your head and trunk to the left
4. At the same time pivot slightly on the
toes of your right foot turning your body
to the left
5. Repeat reaching up and across your
body with your left arm
6. Alternate reaching and turning left and
right
7. Repeat 5 times (G)
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Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.