Balance problems are common among the elderly, causing a higher risk of falls. Falling can lead to serious injuries and disabilities.
A physiotherapy clinic such as Ace Allied Health can help you improve your balance and mobility. They can also provide tips on how to prevent these issues in the future. For example, they can advise you to keep physically active and follow a healthy diet. They can also recommend yearly eye and ear checkups, and monitor your medications to avoid long-term side effects.
1. Physiotherapy Assessment
Physiotherapy assessments are done to look at your general mobility, balance and ability in different positions such as lying, sitting, standing or walking. They will also look at your ability to use stairs and any equipment you may have that assists you with movement such as mobility aids. Physiotherapists are trained in how to objectively assess balance and have a variety of tests that they can perform with you to measure your results.
The musculoskeletal system is essential for postural control and to prevent falls. Physiotherapists will evaluate your muscle strength and joint range of motion as well as any pain or abnormal tone that you may have. Your physiotherapist will then complete a functional assessment to look at your mobility, the activities that you are able to do in your home environment and what your goals for future recovery are.
Physiotherapists will also ask you about your previous history of falls and how often they have occurred. This information will assist in determining your risk and the best approach to your treatment plan. Physiotherapists will also consider whether the fall was mechanical (e.g. slips and trips) or medically related (e.g. blackout). This will assist in determining the type of therapy that is most appropriate for you. Physiotherapy treatments may include joint mobilization, balance training and cardiovascular conditioning.
2. Physiotherapy Treatment
Physiotherapy techniques can include manual therapy which involves stretching or kneading muscles, tendons and ligaments to reduce tension, improve flexibility and relieve pain. They can also use modalities such as heat and cold, electrical stimulation or ultrasound to control pain and swelling. They may also incorporate breathing exercises or acupuncture to manage symptoms.
For conditions like heart-related problems and circulatory issues, physio Kyneton can help patients increase their strength, balance, movement and stability. It can even aid in regaining their sense of direction and mobility after a heart attack.
Your physiotherapist can teach you to perform specific exercises and stretches that target the area or areas where you have imbalances. They can also recommend exercises that will build your strength, stamina and mobility without putting more strain on the injury or causing pain.
They can also advise on classes which are available locally that will improve your balance and stability such as yoga, t’ai chi or Pilates. Lastly, your physiotherapist can give you tips on diet and nutrition to improve your overall health and wellbeing. It’s important to understand that physiotherapy is not one-way – the more effort you put in outside of your appointments, the quicker and more effectively you will progress. For this reason, it’s vital that you continue to carry out the stretches and exercises your therapist has given you after each session.
3. Physiotherapy Exercises
Physiotherapy clinics design personalised balance exercise plans for individuals to reduce pain, improve mobility, and restore the body’s natural balance. These plans typically involve a combination of therapeutic exercises, manual therapy techniques, electrical modalities, and more to help individuals reduce fall risk and live a fuller life with more freedom, confidence, and independence.
In addition to building core strength, balance exercises target the proprioceptive system (a network of sensors in the body that informs the brain about our position in space). By challenging this system, balance exercise can help retrain the brain to better perceive and interpret the movements of the body.
Fall risk is often highest in situations where the body must move or do more than one thing at a time, such as squatting to get out of a chair or walking with arms raised or in a line, and when there’s less light (such as in a dark room). Strengthening and improving balance through regular exercise helps individuals navigate these scenarios without falling.
For many people, a lack of stability can detract from their quality of life and limit the activities they enjoy, especially as they age. Fortunately, our Orange County physical therapists stand ready to craft a personalised roadmap that transforms balance exercises from simple movements into a powerful tool for holistic growth and a lifetime of wellbeing.
4. Physiotherapy Advice
Balance and mobility are essential to the way we move. It is a complex system that requires many different body systems to work together, including the visual, proprioceptive and vestibular systems. When these body systems don’t work correctly, a person can lose their ability to stand and walk, which dramatically impacts their quality of life. This is where physiotherapy comes in.
Physiotherapists are trained movement experts, offering hands-on care, patient education and prescribed exercise to improve balance and mobility. They take a holistic approach to health and wellness, which includes promoting healthy lifestyles for patients of all ages and empowering them to participate in their own care.
In addition to treating pain and restoring movement, physiotherapy can also help prevent future injuries. It is crucial to follow a physiotherapist’s advice outside of the treatment room to maximize results and keep future issues from occurring.
Physiotherapy is a valuable resource for patients of all ages, from those who have experienced an injury to seniors seeking to stay mobile. The key is to find the right physiotherapist for you. A trusted physiotherapist will assess your unique needs and provide you with an individualized treatment plan to meet those needs. This will allow you to recover faster and return to your normal life activities as quickly as possible. You deserve to live a pain-free and active life!