If you have Parkinson’s, working on your balance is one of the most important things you can do to help maintain your mobility, confidence, and independence. But before jumping into balance exercises, it’s important to get your body warmed up and ready to move!

Your ankles play a bigger role in balance than you might expect. Think of them as your body’s shock absorbers, helping you adjust to changes in the ground beneath your feet. Every time you walk, turn, or shift your weight, your ankles make small adjustments to help keep you steady.

Balance exercises may look simple, but how you perform them makes all the difference. The goal isn’t just to stay upright or complete the exercise, it’s to challenge the right systems in your body so they can improve. If your technique is off, you may be practicing compensation instead of actually improving your balance.

When you’re living with Parkinson’s, changes in balance can make movement feel intimidating. You may worry about falling, feel less confident doing activities you once enjoyed, or wonder if you’ve waited too long to start working on your balance. But you don’t have to begin with big or complicated movements. Starting small, at your own level and with appropriate support, can be a meaningful way to practice movement and build confidence. What matters most is taking that first step and giving yourself the opportunity to keep moving forward.

Standing on your toes or jumping may seem like simple movements, but your brain and body must work together very quickly to make them happen. Your brain has to tell your calf muscles how much force to produce, shift your bodyweight forward, keep you balanced, and coordinate everything at just the right time. For people with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, this communication can become slower or less effective. The muscles may still be strong enough to do the job, but the brain may have difficulty telling them to produce enough force at the right time.