Feeling constantly worried that you’re about to lose your balance and hurt yourself just isn’t worth it, especially when there are other options available to you to combat your problem.
If you frequently notice an imbalance, dizziness, or unsteadiness that makes you feel as if you may fall over at any given time, or you’ve suffered from a fall in the past, contact Comber Physical Therapy and Fusion Chiropractic in Williamsburg today. Let our skilled physical therapists help you determine the root of your imbalance issues and treat it as well!
Are you experiencing these symptoms?
Most people don’t think about keeping their balance in shape until it is too late, and they suffer a harsh fall. Did you know that 1/3 of the population over age 65 falls each year? Every 11 seconds, an older adult is rushed to the emergency room for a fall. Every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. Because falls are so common, it’s critical that you know the signs to look out for in yourself and your loved ones.
Contact a physical therapist at Comber Physical Therapy and Fusion Chiropractic if you have any of the following:
- Double vision or tunnel vision.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Arm or leg weakness.
- Abnormal eye movements.
- Dizziness or vertigo (“spinning” sensations, even when remaining still).
- Inability to focus or remain alert.
- Difficulty standing up from a seated position or standing for prolonged periods of time.
Conditions that put you at a higher risk for falling
There are also many other factors and conditions that may be contributing to your dizziness and/or feeling off-balance. Some people have a higher risk of falling than others.
Certain risk factors include:
- Vertigo or dizziness.
- Problems with vision.
- Problems with walking or staying balanced.
- Fatigue.
- Overall poor health.
- Parkinson’s disease.
- Alzheimer’s disease.
- Heart disease.
- Diabetes.
- Previous stroke or heart attack.
- Arthritis or alternative joint pain.
- Advanced age.
- Living a sedentary life.
- Previous history of falls.
Falls can easily be prevented, simply by the regular exercising of your balance system. If you have recently sustained a balance-related injury, it is important to seek the help of a physical therapist immediately, in order to avoid additional injuries in the future.
Your physical therapist at Comber Physical Therapy and Fusion Chiropractic will assess your medical history to determine how many risk factors toward falling you may have. They will educate you on what these factors mean, as well as steps you can take to decrease your risk. After this, they will perform a thorough physical evaluation to figure out what the best treatment plan for you will be!
How physical therapy can help you improve your balance and prevent falling
There are so many perks to visiting a physical therapist if you’re at a high risk of falls. At Comber Physical Therapy and Fusion Chiropractic in Williamsburg, your initial physical evaluation may consist of several parts to better determine what your most problematic factors are.
These may include vision tests, thinking tests, resting heart rate checks, active heart rate checks, and evaluations of your gait, balance, range of motion, and strength. Physical therapy also focuses on many different areas of strength and balance training to help you prevent falling and hurting yourself.
Having good balance is a large part of fall prevention, as lack of stability is one of the main reasons why falls occur. Your physical therapist will design a balanced training plan for you as part of your treatment and may ask you to perform certain balance-based activities, such as standing on one leg or holding your balance while performing a mentally stimulating task (such as reciting the alphabet or reading a page from a book.)
Strength training is typically paired with your balance training. Your physical therapist will design a strength training plan for you, which will focus on specific muscle groups in need of improvement. The goal of this will be to improve your standing and walking balance, as well as your ability to recover from a loss of balance.
Another benefit of seeing a physical therapist is that they can help you with pain management. This is especially true if your pain is related to you feeling imbalanced. If you are feeling pain anywhere, it will be one of the first things addressed in your treatment plan. Your physical therapist will want to make sure that your treatment is as comfortable as possible, so you will work together on relieving pain first, before continuing into any other forms of physical activity that may bring you discomfort.
Call our clinic today to schedule an appointment
At Comber Physical Therapy and Fusion Chiropractic, we hold ourselves to the highest possible standards when it comes to our patients. If you’re feeling off-balance, have sustained an injury related to a painful fall, or you’re worried that a condition you have is putting you at a higher risk of fall-related injuries, don’t hesitate to call us.
We’re here and ready to help support you in any way we can! Our therapists are waiting for your call, so what are you waiting for? Call us today to set up an appointment.
Important Facts about Falls | Home and Recreational Safety …https://www.cdc.gov › falls › adultfalls
Tags: physical therapist, Comber Physical Therapy and Fusion Chiropractic, fall risk, fall prevention, fight the fall, physical therapy
