How do you put on your socks and shoes?

The question might be more important than first appears.

Bizarre though it may sound, I put mine on while standing on one leg.

I stand on my left leg and put my sock on my right foot; then I stand on my right leg and put the other sock on my left foot.

I repeat the process with my shoes.

If they have laces, I tie them while keeping one foot in the air.

Why?

Because it exercises my nervous sytem. It helps maintain my balance and flexibility.

If you're a young person reading this, you might be saying to yourself: what's all the fuss about? It's so fucking easy. Well, let me tell you, it may be easy for you now, but if you don't maintain your balance, it will deteriorate with age and you'll lose that very simple ability (of being able to stand on one leg to put on your shoes and socks). Chances are, you'll be heading for a fall. More on that below.

If you make it a part of your daily routine while it's still easy for you, you'll likely preserve some crucial motor skills long into your old age.

If you're an older person who struggles to put on a sock while standing on one leg, this might be your wake-up call to fight to regain that ability. Balance is critical for all of us - we walk on two legs, after all - and the longer you can retain a good sense of balance, the better.

Oftetimes, the first indication an older person gets that his or her body is failing in a critical way is a fall, or a series of falls, sometimes resulting in a broken hip. You don't want to be one of those people.

This simple exercise may well help you to avoid that fate, or at least postpone it.

Moreover, you can fit it into your daily routine without taking any more time over it than you would if you put on your socks and shoes in an easier way. So what excuse do you have for not treating your nervous system to this simple but highly effective daily tone-up?

Note: if you've lost the ability to stand on one leg easily, please approach the exercise with  caution. You wouldn't want to take a risk with falling and banging your head on soemthing hard!

There are many other ways you can build beneficial habits into your daily routine without taking up too much time. (So many of us are time limited these days). I'll share a few more with you in future posts.

See:

What's with all the pullups Jack?

Just Walk

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