I’ve had a big problem with balance (including falls which can be very dangerous).
A ‘stray’ comment by the leader of the Tai Chi class I go to has ‘turned on a light’ and made an immediate and huge difference to my balance.
Let me start off by saying how I used to balance. I’d focus on my feet on their contact with the ground. Result: Bad balance.
Tai Chi instructor’s instruction on where to focus while balancing on one leg: Knees. Result: Instant perfect balance!!!!
Knee-awareness makes all the difference to doing lots of things.
I had to sit still for several hours without upper body support at a workshop (always something I find very hard and painful to do making it difficult for me to participate in such sitting events). This time I focused on my knees. Focused and focused on my knees. Focusing on my knees resulted in my body adjusting my leg positions then how my bottom sat on the chair then how my spine supported itself. I was able to survive the three hours sitting which was a miracle.
Climbing stairs sitting down or getting up from chairs… try focusing on the knees.
My knees aren’t particularly painful to notice (I know some people have a lot of knee pain) but they do seem to play a critically important role in balance and posture.