Improve Your Balance with Physical Therapy

As you grow old, you lose your sense of balance. Indeed, aging people often complain that they feel unsteady and tend to stagger, teeter, and even fall frequently due to weak muscles or slower reflexes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the incidence is such that at least one out of every three people over age 65 falls every year. And falls are the leading causes of injury-related deaths among older adults. Fatal falls can happen anytime – when you are ascending or descending the stairs, going to the bathroom, exercising or just walking about for your daily activities.

The fear of falling and breaking a bone or hurting yourself in other ways intensifies as you grow old. In fact, many elderly people refrain from moving around too much lest they fall. However, the lack of movement can actually intensify the problem as your leg and ankle muscles weaken further, making you more prone to falls. You no longer able to safely perform your daily activities and you become dependent on others for even the simplest things such as getting around the house.

Moreover, balance dysfunction is not restricted only to older people and aging. Young adults can also experience poor balance, dizziness or lightheadedness due to health problems such as low blood pressure, vertigo, inner ear disorders, heart rhythm disturbances, arthritis, neurological disorders and Parkinson’s disease. Instability can also be a side effect of certain medications. In such cases, you may feel as if you are moving, spinning, or floating, even though you are standing still or lying down.

Some of the common worries of people with balance dysfunction are:

• Stumbling when you walk
• Tripping when you climb stairs
• Falling over when you get up from a chair
• Falling down when you bend over

What to do?

A balance dysfunction is a serious condition that can start interfering with your daily life. You need to consult a doctor immediately. A medial professional will assess your condition and treat the health problems, if any. However, apart from medication, treatment and dietary changes, the doctor is very likely to restrict your movements such as driving, using the stairs or going to the bathroom.

Despite the odds, you can achieve better balance with the help of physical therapy in Toledo, Ohio. A trained physical therapist will assess your risks of falling and design an individualized balance training program to suit your particular needs. He/she will put you through a series of safe and effective balance exercises like sidestepping, one-leg raises, balancing on one leg, reaching, bending, stair climbing. Other activities can include walking in circles, practicing dance steps, and obstacle courses, to name a few.

Most of the positions and movements mimic real-life situations and will help you to slowly improve coordination. The therapist will constantly monitor your progress and keep you from falling or hurting yourself.

The planned and controlled exercise program will work in two ways:

• Improve your balance and strength which keeps you from stumbling or falling in the first place.
• Even if you do stagger, the strong muscles will enable you to regain your balance quickly and keep yourself from falling.

Besides this, the physical therapist will also educate you about the risks of improper balance and how to make your home and life as safe as possible.

In sum, physical therapy in Toledo, Ohio will enable you to improve your balance and regain an active and independent life altogether!

How do you deal with balance issues, if any? Share your experiences below.

The author would like to discuss the benefits of attaining physical therapy in order to bring balance in your life, after you have went through an injury or operation.