Balance Wellness With a Personalized PT Plan!
Bolster Your Balance With A Personalized Physical Therapy Program
Physical Therapy for Balance: Why A Personalized Plan Is Best
Falls are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among older adults. Changes in your balance can have many causes each which may require a different treatment approach. Commonly, when we begin to lose our balance, we decrease our activity level to avoid things that may cause a fall. This can lead to deconditioning both of the balance systems and of the musculoskeletal systems which can ultimately worsen the problem. The wait and see approach is never the best option when it comes to improving balance and preventing falls. Luckily, physical therapists are professionals that specialize in this area, and after a thorough assessment, can provide you with a personalized balance rehabilitation program. If you are wondering how physical therapy can help your balance, keep reading to learn more.
WHAT’S BEHIND BALANCE?
Your brain uses information from three sensory systems to maintain your balance. These three systems are the vestibular system, the somatosensory system, and the visual system. Impaired functioning in any one of these three systems can affect your balance, especially if your body is not able to compensate by relying more heavily on the others. Let’s take a closer look at each of these systems:
Visual System: Your eyes provide feedback about where you are and how your body is positioned relative to other things in the environment. If you’ve ever tried staring at an unmoving object while attempting to stand on one foot, you’ve taken advantage of this system. Blindness or loss of vision, double vision, cataracts or glaucoma are some conditions that decrease the accuracy or usefulness of visual information for balance
Vestibular System: The vestibular system provides the brain with information about motion, spatial orientation, and head position. It also communicates with the parts of our brain and spinal cord that control motor functions to catch and maintain our balance, stabilize our head and bodies during movement, and maintain our posture. The main components of the vestibular system are located in the inner ear and connect with tracts throughout our nervous system.
Conditions that affect the vestibular system can result in dizziness, vertigo, or feelings of disequilibrium and imbalance. Examples of conditions that can impair this sensory system include brain injuries and concussions, multiple sclerosis, Meneire’s Disease, labyrinthitis or vestibular neuritis, acoustic neuroma, BPPV and more. The function of the vestibular system can also decline with age.
Somatosensory system: sensory receptors throughout our body respond to stretch, pressure, and movement in general to provide the brain with information about how our body is positioned in space. These sensors are located in our skin, muscles, and joints. Of greatest importance to balance are the sensory receptors in our feet and legs, trunk, and neck.
Loss or reduction in somatosensory input can be caused by injuries to the peripheral or central nervous system and include conditions such as spinal cord or brain injury, stroke, peripheral neuropathy or diabetic neuropathy, Multiple Sclerosis, and Guillain Barre Syndrome and more.
Finally, having appropriate muscle strength and motor control, flexibility, and mobility are important to be able to maintain your balance.
HOW WILL A PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSESS MY BALANCE?
Your physical therapist will start by interviewing you about your medical history. Your medical history can provide many clues as to which balance system may be affected and contributing to your imbalance.
Additionally, describing to your therapist the conditions under which you typically lose your balance will often give them a clue as to what is causing these episodes. For example, telling your therapist that you lose your balance when you close your eyes in the shower, or when you walk over rocks or uneven terrain, helps them choose which tests and assessments they want to perform.
Balance testing is another important way that physical therapists assess your balance. These tests can assess each of the three balance systems and how your balance performs under various conditions. Here are some examples of tasks you may be asked to perform while your therapist stands close by to help prevent a fall:
Stand with eyes open and closed in various positions
Stand on firm surfaces, foam surfaces, or inclines
Stand with your feet apart, together, in front of one another
Stand on one foot
Stand with your feet in various positions while turning or nodding your head
Turning a circle
Reaching down to pick an item up off the floor
Standing from a chair
Walk while performing some or all of these actions:
Turning your head
Closing your eyes
Walking backwards
Stopping and turning
Stepping over an obstacle
Changing speed
Walking heel-toe
Additionally, walking speed, leg strength, posture, and flexibility can all impact the effectiveness of our balance strategies and will likely be assessed. Assessing the sensation in your feet and legs is also often performed to determine if the somatosensory system is affected. Finally, if you present with dizziness, vertigo, or disequilibrium then further vestibular testing may be indicated.
AN INDIVIDUALIZED BALANCE PLAN IS BEST
Participating in a group balance class or following along with a video-based balance routine can be a great way to maintain your balance abilities if you are not having falls or major balance concerns. In the case of those experiencing declines in their balance or recent falls, consulting with a physical therapist is a great way to get a personalized balance plan that is specific to your exact needs. If you need exercises to strengthen your legs, improve your flexibility, or strengthen the brain’s use of a specific balance system then you want a program that includes each of these things and that can be modified, regressed, and progressed, as needed. Once you have improved in as many of these areas as possible then your PT can educate you on what exercises you should continue to help maintain these gains after discharge.
Along with exercises to improve your balance, a physical therapist can educate you on other important areas such as:
Modifications to your home environment to reduce the risk for falls
Training on how to select, adjust, and use assistive devices like walkers or canes
How to set up a safe place to perform your balance exercises to prevent a fall
If you have found this page and read all the way to the bottom, there is a good chance you have been looking for ways to improve your balance. Well look no further, the therapists at Evolve are ready to learn about you and how they can create a personalized balance plan to help you to feel steadier, stronger, and excited about getting out and doing the things you enjoy without worrying about falls.
Click here for more information about physical therapy for balance rehab
About EvolveNY-
Brooklyn's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics-
There’s physical therapy, there’s training, and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the science of biomechanics merged with fitness to help our patients get better and stay better!
First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.
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