How to do it
You need: Supportive outdoor shoes, A walking aid if you normally use one, and a helper alongside.
Choose a short stretch of firm grass, a gently uneven path or a low-pile mat, on a dry day. Have a helper walking beside you, and use your normal walking aid if you have one.
- Step onto the uneven surface and stand still for a moment to feel it under your feet.
- Walk forwards slowly, taking slightly wider and slightly higher steps than usual.
- Look a few steps ahead to read the ground, glancing down only for tricky patches.
- Turn around in a wide arc and walk back across the same stretch.
Form cues
- Your steps are a little shorter and more deliberate than on a smooth floor.
- Your knees and ankles stay relaxed so they can adjust to the bumps.
- You keep your weight centred rather than committing fully to a foot before it is settled.
Common mistakes
- Trying wet grass, mud, loose gravel, slopes or ice - keep to dry, firm, gentle ground at first.
- Walking as fast as you would indoors.
- Fixing your eyes on your feet the whole time, which makes balance harder.
Safety: Stop and message your physio if you have a fall, a near-fall, or new dizziness or leg weakness.