Standing balance at a chair is one of the first steps in standing balance practice. You stand beside a sturdy chair with your feet a comfortable distance apart and one hand resting on the backrest, then take your hand away and hold yourself steady without it. The chair stays right beside you, so you can touch it again the moment you need to. It suits people who are just starting balance work or getting back on their feet after a spell of illness or inactivity.

How to do the standing balance at a chair

Place a sturdy chair beside you, or stand next to a kitchen counter. Wear flat shoes that fit well and grip the floor, not socks, tights or bare feet.
Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart and rest the hand nearest the chair on top of the backrest.
Look at a fixed point ahead of you and let your weight settle evenly over both feet.
When you feel steady, take your hand off the chair and let both arms hang by your sides. Hold still, keeping the chair within easy reach.
If you start to sway, put your hand back on the chair until you feel steady, then try again. Rest between holds with your hand on the chair.

What you should feel

A little gentle sway and small, busy corrections from the muscles around your ankles. You should feel in control, never close to falling.

Common mistakes

Moving your feet close together before you are ready, which narrows your base and makes it harder.
Staring at the floor instead of a point ahead.
Locking your knees back or holding your breath.
Standing so far from the chair that you could not grab it in time.

How often

Many programs start with 3 to 5 holds of 10 to 30 seconds without the hand on the chair, once or twice a day. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

You feel dizzy, lightheaded, faint or sick, or the room seems to spin. Hold your support, sit down and get medical advice the same day before you practice again. If you faint, it does not settle within a few minutes of sitting still, your vision suddenly blurs or goes double, or you cannot stand or walk steadily, call emergency services.
You start to tip and need the chair to catch yourself. Put your hand back on it, rest, then try a shorter hold.

From the clinic

The voice guide describes standing on one foot, but in the video both feet stay on the floor about hip width apart, and the change is taking the hand away from the chair. Start with the video version. Once you can hold that for your full time without touching the chair, programs often bring the feet together, as in standing with feet together, then move on to semi-tandem stance and tandem stance. Standing on one leg, as in single leg stance, usually comes later.

Clear away loose rugs, cables and clutter around you, and use a chair that will not slide, tip or fold. Had a fall in the last 12 months, feel wobbly on your feet, or take tablets that can make you lightheaded or drowsy? Then keep your fingertips on the chair at first, and practice when someone else is in the house. Mention any falls to your doctor or physio, who can tell you whether a falls assessment would help. Balance that has been getting slowly worse over weeks or months also needs a check with your doctor.

A sudden loss of balance is different. Call emergency services straight away for any sign of a stroke, even if it goes away: sudden dizziness with unsteadiness or falling over, a face that droops on one side, an arm you cannot lift or keep up, slurred or muddled speech, weakness or numbness on one side of your body or face, sudden blurred vision, double vision or loss of sight, or a sudden severe headache.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Standing balance at a chair