Treat your balance disorder with physical therapy
Underlying musculoskeletal and neurological disorders can cause or aggravate a balance problem. Luckily, physical therapy can help significantly reduce your symptoms or correct your condition altogether.
Do you ever feel unsteady, or not quite as sure-footed as you used to be? Do you find yourself having to reach for walls or furniture to steady yourself? Do you experience pain in your hips, knees, or other joints that have changed the way that you walk? If so, you may be suffering from a balance disorder.
These disorders can be physically and mentally disrupting, developing for a variety of reasons. For more information on how you can steady your balance troubles, Contact Nebraska Orthopaedic Physical Therapy in Fremont, NE for an appointment today!
Physical therapy and balance disorders
When it comes to improving your balance and ability to walk, physical therapy is the best possible option.
Our specialized physical therapists will conduct a comprehensive physical evaluation to examine your balance, gait, stance, medical history, and symptoms, before creating a personalized treatment plan deemed for your specific needs.
This treatment plan may include:
Vestibular rehabilitation
This physical therapy treatment works to improve your vision, nerves, muscles, and the vestibular system as a whole, in order to maintain a steady balance. If you are suffering from BPPV, our physical therapists will provide you with specific exercises that will move the calcium debris to the correct parts of your ear.
Stretches
Stretching will help improve your flexibility and your range of motion. This will give you more control and quicker reactions with your movements, also reducing your risk of injury. It will also keep your muscles from becoming too tight and stiff.
Strengthening exercises
Your evaluation will help determine what problem areas in your body may need help. Your physical therapist will provide you with strengthening exercises that will build up your muscles, thus making it much easier for you to move around and reduce your risk of injury.
What’s causing my balance disorder?
There can be many causes of balance disorders, as they can develop from many different underlying conditions. For balance disorders, many are related to issues in the vestibular system, which is a delicate collection of fluid-filled chambers and sensory nerves, located in the inner ear, and thousands of nerve receptors in your joints throughout your body. The vestibular system is responsible for your sense of position, also known as “proprioception.”
Some common vestibular conditions resulting in balance disorders include:
Injury or ailment
Even if your brain and nervous system are working in harmony with one another, a sudden injury, disease, or other ailment causing muscle weakness can interfere with your balance and make it difficult to keep yourself upright.
Neurological issues
This may include Parkinson’s disease, brain injury, or stroke. Anything that affects your neurological system can also impact your balance.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
This occurs when calcium debris breaks off in the inner ear, causing issues with balance.
If you have recently sustained a balance-related injury, it is important to seek the help of a physical therapist immediately, in order to avoid additional injuries in the future. It is important to note that you should also contact a physical therapist if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Dizziness or vertigo (“spinning” sensations, even when remaining still)
- Inability to focus or remain alert
- Double vision or tunnel vision
- Nausea or vomiting
- Arm or leg weakness
- Abnormal eye movements
- Difficulty standing up from a seated position or standing for prolonged periods of time
Get back on your feet today
If you are suffering from a balance disorder, contact us today at Nebraska Orthopaedic Physical Therapy in Fremont, NE to schedule an appointment with one of our dedicated physical therapists. We’ll help you feel steady on your feet in no time!