Falls. Serious injuries. Time in the hospital. All of these can result from an elderly person losing their balance. Unfortunately, this happens far too often.
It’s estimated that 1 out of every 4 elderly Americans falls every year, and these falls result in 3 million older people visiting the hospital for injuries they receive. The root cause of falls in the elderly is typically a loss of balance. Physical therapists offer treatment options that can help decrease loss of balance in elderly Americans.
Physical therapists can use these three treatment options for loss of balance in the elderly
If you find yourself losing your balance more as you grow older, a physical therapist can help you find effective treatment for balance issues. One reason these specialists can help you is they have many therapy methods at their disposal. Some of the techniques your therapist could use for balance issues include:
- Joint mobilization — Arthritis in the hips, knee or ankles can make it harder to balance. One therapy method that physical therapists can use to treat this balance problem is joint mobilization. This technique is a type of manual therapy. It involves your physical therapist using their hands to manipulate the arthritic joint.
Studies show that joint mobilization can help patients improve their balance. One ankle joint mobilization study found that patients were able to balance on one leg for nearly seven seconds longer after joint mobilization.
- Gaze stabilization exercises — Visual issues can make losing your balance more likely. Conditions like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) can cause your vision to swim or blur. In turn, this can cause you to lose your balance.
Gaze stabilization exercises are designed to help improve your vision when you’re dizzy. A study of these exercises reveals that 90% of the gaze stabilization group had a significant reduction in fall risk.
- Balance training — Physical therapists can also show you how to do exercises that can improve your balance. Often, this balance training involves strengthening muscles that support your joints and spine. A survey of balance training studies show that it helped decrease falls that cause fractures by 61%.
Elderly and struggling with frequent losses of balance? Excel PT can help!
Are you an older person who is frequently losing your balance? Our physical therapists at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy are primed to help you improve your balance. We offer free screenings that can pinpoint the issue(s) behind your instability. Additionally, our team is adept at constructing individualized therapy plans designed to better your balance and decrease your risk of falls.
Want to get your balance training at home? No problem! Our physical therapists can work with you in your home thanks to the virtual therapy and at-home care services we offer.
Contact our team today for more information about our vestibular rehab services or to schedule an initial appointment.
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