We offer many options to treat balance problems, based on each person’s needs. We evaluate many systems of the body, including:
Physical therapists are movement experts who prescribe active movement techniques and physical exercise to improve these systems. Exercises may include those for:
“Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving.”
Albert Einstein
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Balance problems make it hard for people to maintain stable posture and stay upright when standing, walking and even sitting. Balance problems are more common in older adults and are the most common reason they seek help from a doctor. If balance problems go untreated, they can lead to falls. Physical therapists can help people of all ages improve their balance. They perform balance testing and develop treatment plans that include physical activity to help improve the strength, stability, and movement of people with balance problems. One needs strong muscles in their feet and ankles.
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) is a specialized form of therapy intended to alleviate symptoms caused by vestibular disorders. The vestibular system is responsible for collecting information about your balance. It sits inside the inner ear beside the hearing organs. It is an exercise-based program primarily designed to reduce vertigo and dizziness, visual disturbance, and/or imbalance, and falls. After an injury to the vestibular system occurs, the central nervous system can compensate for reduced function of the inner ears. Essentially, the brain copes with the disorientating signals coming from the vestibular system by learning to rely more on alternative signals coming from other systems in the body to maintain balance. This is achieved through various exercise strategies outlined below. With compensation, the patient’s symptoms can be alleviated which allows them to return to normal function.