Are You Feeling Unsteady? A Fall Prevention Program Could Help You!
Have you ever felt unsteady when you walk and feel as if you might fall? Have you ever tripped and had to catch yourself on a nearby railing or piece of furniture? Are you concerned that a fall could result in an injury? You might benefit from a fall prevention program at Beyond Physiotherapy in Newton, Surrey, Fleetwood, and Langley
Unfortunately, most people do not think about keeping their balance until it is too late and they have had a major fall. The good news is that most falls can be prevented by regularly exercising your balance system.
If you are worried that you are at a risk for falling, contact Beyond Physiotherapy today to learn more about fall prevention techniques.
What Increases Your Risk Of Falling?
Some people have a higher risk of falling than others. Certain risk factors include:
- Fatigue
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Being female
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Previous history of falls
- Living a sedentary life
- Overall poor health
- Heart disease
- Advanced age
- Problems with vision
- Problems with walking or staying balanced
- Diabetes
- Previous stroke or heart attack
- Arthritis or alternative joint pain
Our Newton, Surrey, Fleetwood, and Langley physiotherapist will review your medical history to assess any risk factors you may have and then explain what these factors mean and how you can lower your risk. Following that, they will conduct a thorough physical examination to determine the best treatment plan for you.
What Does A Fall Prevention Program Offer?
Your initial physical examination at Beyond Physiotherapy may include vision exams, resting, and active heart rate checks, gait, balance, range of motion, and strength exams. Based on the results of these exams, our physiotherapist will build you a unique treatment plan based on the findings of this exam.
Some common forms of physiotherapy fall prevention treatment include:
Balance training
This part of your treatment plan may require you to perform specific balance-based exercises, such as standing on one leg or maintaining your balance while performing an intellectually demanding task (such as reciting the alphabet or reading a page from a book.)
Pain management
Your treatment plan will address any pain you are experiencing as soon as possible.
Walking and moving programs
This section of your treatment plan focuses on restoring your normal physical function when walking and/or moving. You might be asked to do things like walk in a circle or complete an obstacle course by our physiotherapist.
Endurance training
Our physiotherapist will design an aerobic training program for you, gradually increasing the length of your sessions as your stamina improves.
Strength training
Our physiotherapist will create a strength training program for you that will target particular muscle groups that require strengthening. This will help you improve your balance when standing and walking, as well as your ability to recover from a fall.
Are You Ready To Find Stability Again?
Fight the fall and get back up on your feet. If you are ready to improve your balance and lower your risk of a fall-related injury, contact Beyond Physiotherapy to request an appointment and get started today!
Why is good balance so important?
Did you know that 76 million Americans will experience some sort of dizzy spell or vertigo at some point in their lives that affects their balance and ability to stand upright? In fact, the second most commonly reported complaint within doctors’ offices is dizziness and loss of balance.
Having good balance is a key part of being in shape. It’s right up there with flexibility, strength, and endurance! The better your balance is, the easier time you’ll have performing your daily tasks such as walking, going up and down stairs, or even just standing on your toes to get something off the top shelf.
When your balance is aligned, you’re also at a much lower risk of receiving an injury, such as a bone fracture, from falling. Improving your balance means improving your coordination, the stability of your joints, your reaction time, and your overall health!
Beyond Physiotherapy in Newton, Surrey, Fleetwood, and Langley is happy to offer balance assessment testing to our patients in need.
This diagnostic testing is aimed at helping patients dealing with balance issues to regain their ability to stand and walk safely and comfortably, and get back to their daily routines.
Are you feeling off balance, or noticing that you’re having to catch yourself often so that you don’t fall? If so, there may be an underlying issue that requires the help of one of our experts here at Beyond Physiotherapy.
Who can benefit from a balance assessment?
At Beyond Physiotherapy in Newton, Surrey, Fleetwood, and Langley we want you to be able to live life without limitations – to be able to enjoy physical activities, move with ease, and even navigate uneven terrains without fear of falling. This all begins with your balance.
Dizziness and vertigo are two of the most common reasons for needing a balance assessment. Symptoms of dizziness and vertigo can vary from acute to chronic and in some severe cases, they can even be indicators of serious health risks.
According to Healthline, here are some of the most common causes of dizziness:
- sudden drop in blood pressure
- heart muscle disease
- decrease in blood volume
- anxiety disorders
- anemia (low iron)
- meniere’s disease
- hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- vertigo
- ear infection
- dehydration
- heat stroke
- excessive exercise
- motion sickness
Balance assessments are great for our patients living with balance and/or gait issues, such as aging adults, vestibular therapy patients, and neuro patients. After your balance has been properly assessed, balance and gait training exercises will be prescribed based on your needs.
These training exercises will include activities to not only improve balance and gait mechanics but also increase your confidence and safety in navigating across different terrains and around different obstacles.
What will happen during my balance assessment?
Balance assessments are simple, pain-free, and pretty quick. At Beyond Physiotherapy, you can expect the following diagnostic tests to take place:
Electronystagmography (ENG) & Videonystagmography (VNG)
This measures your eye movements to determine whether or not you have damage in your inner ear
Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP)
This test measures certain muscles’ reactions to sound and can indicate inner ear problems.
Posturography (CDP)
This test measures how well you’re able to maintain balance while standing.
Dix hallpike maneuver
This test measures how your eye reacts to random, abrupt movements.
Based on the findings from your assessment, your physiotherapist will create a customized treatment plan that is aimed at lessening your symptoms, improving your gait and balance, and lowering the chances of this problem returning in the future.
Call us today
Feeling like the world is spinning under your feet? This is no way to live. You deserve to feel confident, steady, and stable during your daily activities, and physiotherapy at Beyond Physiotherapy in Surrey, Newton, Fleetwood, and Langley can give you the chance to feel that way once more!
To learn more about our center’s balance assessments, call our center today.