Studies have indicated that at least 10 weeks of imbalance intervention can decrease fall risk for several months afterwards. Continuing with physical therapy (PT) for 10 weeks is not always possible so continuing with appropriate exercise after discharging from PT is imperative. Your therapist can provide with exercises to perform in that are effective,
Fall risk assessment is critical for older adults. Did you know that falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admission among adults 65 years and older? It doesn’t take long for a medical professional to notice an unpleasant pattern with elderly patients who are admitted after a fall.
Charlotte Morris experienced a fall while on vacation in Florida. She hit her head in the fall, causing a concussion and diminished balance which of course put her at an even higher fall risk. The increased dizziness has created a real fear of falling again therefore, she needed a walker to feel safe when walking.
As individuals age, fall risk and the fear of falling increases significantly. According to the National Institute on Aging, “more than one in three people age 65 years or older falls each year”. The fear of falling can lead to limitations in daily activities such as walking, performing dressing and bathing tasks,
If you have been experiencing some balance deficits for various reasons which can include, a traumatic brain injury, vertigo and/or general weakness, physical therapy can be beneficial for decreasing your fall risk and helping you to gain confidence to perform all of your usual daily activities. After an evaluation to determine where your balance deficits lie,
At some point in our lives many of us will experience some decrease in our ability to maintain balance. Some causes of balance deficits can be, injury or surgery on a lower extremity, trauma to the brain such as a fall, car accident or stroke, general weakness from illness or aging and vestibular (inner ear) causes.
Fall risk prevention is critically important to adults over 65 years of age. To assist in helping older adults with fall prevention, we have the Alter G treadmill. It is a unique treadmill that uses air and NASA technology to unload a patient’s weight while running or walking to achieve a stronger core and faster recovery.
Fall Risk was becoming a serious issue for Raymond Herschberger, a patient at our Shelbyville clinic. He was beginning to have some instability in his right knee which was making he and others concerned about falling. As Raymond recalls, he never sustained an injury in the knee, it was just wearing out on him,