Many factors can lead to poor balance or high fall risk. These can be neurological conditions, orthopedic conditions, weakness
or pain after injury, vestibular disorders, or simple deconditioning of the cardiovascular system, the pulmonary system, or a combination of all the above. A very common, but often overlooked, cause of balance deficit is joint replacement. While some people may not have much pain or movement limitation after hip or knee replacements, the body’s balance systems may not have fully acclimated to the new hardware.
What can we address?
- Frequent falls
- Fear of falling
- Difficulty getting out of chairs, out of bed
- Difficulty with stairs
- Trouble walking
- General weakness
- Reduced endurance
- Easy tripping or trouble stepping over objects
- Effects of various neurological and orthopedic conditions
- And more…
Most balance and mobility issues boil down to a body system or systems not working to their potential, weather be a weak limb or a neurological issue, or a combination of factors. Physical Therapists are experts in how body’s move. We are able to identify which body parts or systems are not performing to their best and either retrain them, teach other systems to compensate, or a combination of both. The end result is nearly always more confident and safe mobility within your lifestyle.