Each year 1/3 of adults over age 65 experience dizziness, balance problems, or falls. Falls are the leading cause of injury in older adults. Five percent of all falls lead to fractures and can be disabling. Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center can help you learn how to prevent falls with physical therapy that focuses on extensive individualized assessments to determine the causes of decreased balance and increased risk of falling, as well as physical therapy for posture, balance, Vestibular system, strength, coordination, and function.
After providing a comprehensive evaluation, your physical therapist will develop a customized balance retraining, conditioning, and educational program. Throughout the treatment process, we conduct periodic reassessments to monitor improvement. At Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center, our physical therapy approach provides people with the tools to regain control of their lives, rebuild self-esteem, and prevent falls.
Benefits of our balance training program:
- Strengthening key muscle groups
- Improving balance reactions
- Integrating vision, sensation, and vestibular information
- Balance challenges in various environments, such as areas with curbs, uneven surfaces, dim lighting conditions, and changes in direction
- Fall prevention education
Vestibular Therapy refers to treatments to improve the function of the inner ear following injury or illness. The signals that our inner ear sends to our brain are not always accurate, causing a disconnect between what our eyes see and what our inner ear tells our brain is happening. A dysfunction or crystals in the inner ear can cause dizziness and/or vertigo. This is a significant risk factor for falls.
At PTSMC your physical therapist will do a thorough evaluation and set up a customized program to improve balance, minimize falls, and decrease dizziness/vertigo.
Treatments can consist of:
Canalith Repositining Techniques: (often referred to as the Epley maneuver) is a series of body and head positions that treat BPPV. This is often successful in relieving symptoms as early as the first visit!
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) is an exercise-based treatment that is designed to decrease dizziness symptoms, improve balance and increase functional activity levels in those with non-compensated, but stable vestibular dysfunction.