Re: I did not know this.

["David J. Hamilton" <djhamil@TELEPORT.COM>]

crawford j maccallum writes:

> I have a hard time lasting 10 seconds balanced on one foot with eyes
> closed.  Age 69.  Seems to help to imagine myself skiing.  Do younger
> folks really do better?       Crawford

In college I tore ligaments in my right ankle.  Since then, I have often
rolled that ankle.  A physical therapist told me to try balancing on that
foot with my eyes closed and I found it very difficult (much easier on my
left foot).  He said that much of the balancing is done through nerve and
muscle feedback (unrelated to inner ear balance).  Apparently, I had
suffered nerve damage which affected that feedback.  When I step on an
uneven surface, the slight imbalance causes me to start to tip, I don't
correct fast enough (until my inner ear tells me somethings wrong - too
late), and boom.