Tandem stance on foam is a balance exercise where you stand heel to toe, one foot straight in front of the other, on a soft foam pad and stay as still as you can with your eyes open. The narrow base and the give in the foam together make your ankles and hips work much harder than they do on a firm floor. In the video he uses the chair beside him to get into position, lets go once he is set, and touches it again when he needs to. It is a harder step. Move on to it once tandem stance on the floor and standing on the foam with your feet apart both feel steady.

How to do the tandem stance on foam

Put the foam pad on a firm floor, right next to a kitchen counter, or a solid chair that stays put if you grab it. Wear flat shoes that fit well and grip the floor, not socks, tights or bare feet.
With one hand on the support, step up onto the pad, one foot and then the other.
Place one foot directly ahead of the other, front heel meeting back toes if you can. Let both feet carry the same amount of weight.
Stand tall with your arms loose at your sides and pick a spot on the wall ahead to look at. When the wobble calms down, let your hand hover just above the support.
Hold the position while the foam shifts under you. Whenever a sway starts to get away from you, rest your fingers on the support until you are steady again.
To finish, grip the support before you step down from the pad. Then repeat with the other foot in front.

What you should feel

Constant small wobbles, mostly from side to side, with your ankles, the outside of your shins and your hips working hard to keep you over that thin line. It feels a lot less steady than the same position on the floor, which is what the foam is there for.

Common mistakes

Moving onto the foam before you can hold tandem stance on a firm floor.
Letting the front foot creep sideways, so your base gets wider.
Leaning on the chair, so your arm rather than your feet does the balancing.
Bracing with stiff, locked knees.

How often

A common starting point is 2 to 4 holds of 10 to 20 seconds on each side, once or twice a day, with holds getting longer as the wobble eases. The voice guide asks you to stay as long as possible; stop each hold before a wobble turns into a stumble. 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 wobble off the pad, or only the support keeps you from falling.
Your ankle rolls or gives way, or you feel sharp pain in the ankle, knee or hip.
Your feet feel newly numb or tingly, or your balance has been slipping over recent weeks. Get medical advice within a few days, and leave out eyes-closed work until you have been checked. If the numbness or tingling spreads quickly up your legs or into your hands, get medical advice the same day. If your legs also feel stiff, heavy or weak, walking suddenly becomes hard, you have trouble breathing or swallowing, or you have trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, call emergency services.

From the clinic

Wait until you can hold tandem stance on a firm floor without touching the support. Standing balance on a foam pad, with your feet apart, often comes before this one too. Keep your eyes open on the foam, and do not try it with them closed unless your physio has set that for you.

He uses a light folding chair in the video. A kitchen counter is better at home, since a light chair can skid or fold if you snatch at it. Keep the floor around the pad clear of rugs, and check the pad does not slide. Ask your physio before you start if you have fallen within the last year, if your feet are numb, if you are prone to dizzy spells, or if a medicine makes you drowsy. Have another adult close by while you practice, at least for the first few sessions.

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.

If you have had a hip replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon or physio before you try tandem stance on foam. Some operations limit this kind of work for the first months, so the timing depends on your surgery.

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.

Tandem stance on foam