Balance Training & Fall Prevention at Home
"We Help Adults 55+ Improve Balance and Mobility to Reduce Falls, Stay Active and Maximize Independence. Even if you are fearful of falling and ending up in a wheelchair."
This is for You If...
You want to stay independent and active to keep up with your loved ones, maintain relationships and continue doing the things you love to do.
You are new to exercise or have some experience with it and want a home exercise program to stay strong and healthy.
You are a caregiver who needs to stay strong in order to care for your loved one.
You have had a fall, almost fell or are afraid of falling and want to be at less risk and less fearful.
You are losing your balance more often and giving up on the things you want to do because you are worried about falling.
You are having more difficulty moving around in your home and are giving up on activities because they are too hard to do.
This is Not for You If...
You are happy with your current level of function.
You believe that at a certain age it is normal to have pain, lose your balance and that there is nothing you can do about it.
You believe that older adults should not exercise because of their age and that exercise will not help with improving function.
When Should I Think About Starting Physical Therapy?
You should start Physical Therapy as soon as you notice that you are not moving as well as you used to, you are feeling unsteady on your feet, you are feeling stiff and/or you are starting to be fearful of performing daily tasks.
Don't wait until you fall or have a near fall.
Don't wait until moving around becomes more difficult.
Don't assume that things will get better on their own.
Also, If you haven't seen a Physical Therapist in a while or ever, it is probably time to get an Evaluation.
Physical Therapy can identify problem areas early in order to take preventative steps.
Need Help Deciding if Physical Therapy at Home is Right for You?
We understand that some people may be unsure if therapy is right for them and want to find out more. If you have questions and want to learn more before making a decision, please fill out one of our short forms to tell us about yourself and schedule a call.
What are Common Causes of Balance Problems other than Age?
Fear of falls - can cause you to change the way you walk, avoid activities and ultimately lose muscle strength, flexibility and balance. This causes you to be at increased risk for falls. Fear of falling is caused by decreased confidence in your ability to keep your balance and prevent yourself from falling. Contributing factors to fear of falling can be others telling you to be careful and not to fall or if there is someone you know who fell and hurt themselves. Fear of falling can also start because you had a fall in the past or recently.
Specific problem in one of the Balance Systems -
Vestibular - Inner ear related problem that affects your sense of where your head is or where you head is moving in space. This gives your brain incorrect information, can be very disorienting and causes balance impairments.
Vision - your vision also lets you know where you are in relation to your surroundings. Poor vision hampers this ability and diminishes your ability to detect when you lose your balance.
Sensation - the sense of touch in your feet allows you to know if more of your weight is on the front of your feet vs your on your heels and whether more of your weight is on one foot vs the other. Loss of this sense causes you to not realize if you have shifted your body beyond what your feet can support.
Decreased ability to know where your feet are - If you are having to consciously pick up your feet while walking or look down at your feet to not trip then you may have a proprioception problem.
Loss of proprioception (the sense of what position your limbs are in) can cause you to fall. For example, if you are stepping over an object and do not sense that you have not lifted your foot high enough, you will trip over it.
Muscle weakness - If your muscles are not strong enough, then if you happen to lose your balance, you will not be able to move your limbs fast enough or with enough force to prevent yourself from falling.
Decreased Flexibility - You cannot move your limbs and trunk far enough to prevent you from falling if you happen to lose your balance
Being Sedentary - Your body and its systems are meant to be used and if you do not "use it you will lose it". Your muscles will become weaker and shorter and your joints will become tighter and this will cause you to have poor balance and be at a greater risk of falls
A Recent or not so recent hospital stay or nursing facility stay where you sat in a wheelchair for most of your waking hours and only had limited time on your feet walking can wreak havoc on your balance systems.
What is Balance?
Balance is defined as: The ability to move or to remain in a position without losing control or falling.
In layman's terms: It is the ability to remain steady on your feet and not fall down.
Having good balance is important at any age but it is even more important as you get older. This is in part due to how common losses of balance and falls are in older adults and also in part due to the high incidence of injury due to falls in older adults. Getting older does not necessarily mean becoming frail and needing more help.
Balance impairments are very common in older adults and are a major cause of falls. They are not however an inevitable part of aging.
Limiting activity and missing out on experiences because of unsteadiness on your feet or fear of falling should not be things you have to live with. This scenario is the case for too many older adults.
For many this trend of limiting activity eventually leads to a cycle of doing less, which leads to weakness, which leads to being even less active, which leads to increased risk of falls.
Bad News: Most people don't think about maintaining good balance until it's too late and they fall.
Good News: Many falls can be prevented and balance can be retrained.
How do I know If I have a Balance Problem?
Have you had a fall or near fall?
Do you feel unsteady when you first stand up?
Is it taking you longer to perform daily tasks or do they seem dangerous?
Are you moving slower than you used to?
Do you feel the need to hold on to objects as you walk?
Are you worried about falling when performing everyday activities?
If you answered Yes to any of the above, you may have a balance problem & Physical Therapy can help.
Falls are NOT a normal part of aging
According to the CDC 1 out of 4 older adults falls each year. Falls are a major cause of injury, hospitalization and debility. The CDC recommends yearly fall screening for those 65+.
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