Health blog Category: balance
Prevent Falling with Physical Therapy
Falls happen more often than you may think. In fact, more than one third of adults 65 and older fall each year. Thankfully, more often than not, these falls don’t result in serious injury. But, if you experience any symptoms or the reason that caused you to fall in the first place are not recognized or treated, there is a much greater chance of future falls and more serious injury.
As you age, your bones are more prone to fractures or breaks.
What our walking says about our muscles and joints
When an expert assesses your walking they are looking at what referred to as your gait. This term “gait” takes into account what all of the joints in your legs and also your trunk are doing when you move one leg and stand on the other for support. Any change in your walking pattern can cause a problem in any part of your body, even if that problem seems to be isolated to just one body part.
Read full blogWhy Do I Feel Off Balance?
Having good balance means being able to control and maintain your body’s position comfortably – whether you are walking, climbing stairs, standing or even sitting still. To have good balance, your muscles need to be working together in response to your sensory systems, which include: vision, inner ear and proprioception, or the sensation you get from nerves in your skin, muscles and joints.
We have three systems that all work together so we have good balance. We have our:
- Balance organ, which is our vestibular system in the inner ear.
The Importance Of A Strong Core
When most people think of the core, they think of the abdominals and doing sit-ups and generally know that one needs to have good core strength. Beyond that, most people don’t know much else about the core.
So what are the core muscles and what do they really do? The core muscles consist of the muscles surrounding and providing stability and postural control to the torso, abdomen and pelvis. These muscles help provide for a stable foundation on which the arms and legs can move and transfer forces.
When is a fall serious enough to seek medical attention…
Whether you are young or old, a fall outside, or even in your own home can be serious. You might assume that medical professionals are busy assessing injuries from falls at certain times of the year such as winter when there is snow and/or ice on the ground. This is true, however, it is also very common for older individuals to fall in their own homes at anytime of the year. How do you know if your injury warrants medical attention, or if it something you can handle on your own?
Read full blogTrouble Walking the Dog or to the Mailbox because of Foot Pain…
By: Devin Wurman, DPT
When is the last time you could walk the dog, go shopping, take your kids to the amusement park, go for a run, or even just stand for prolonged periods of time without experiencing nagging foot or ankle pain? Have you ever gotten up in the morning and felt pain in your heel when you put your foot down on the floor? You’re probably wondering why your foot would hurt after you’ve been off your feet and sleeping all night.
Feeling Unsteady or Having Trouble Balancing?
Balance problems and having trouble balancing might not be what first comes to mind when you think of conditions physical therapy treats. However, balance impairments are something we see and treat in patients of all ages, young people and older population.
First, let’s clear up any confusion there may be about balance issues and vertigo. We do also treat vertigo, which is condition involving the inner ear. Vertigo causes symptoms such as dizziness and can impact balance but it’s not treated the same as balance issues that are unrelated to vertigo.
Inflammation or Discomfort in the Lower Extremities
By Misha Gilani, DPT
Achilles tendonitis is a very common condition that we treat here at Loudoun Sports Therapy and it affects every age group. Achilles tendonitis is the inflammation of the Achilles tendon in your foot. When a patient is suffering from this condition, they will most commonly complain of problems such as pain, limited range of motion, weakness and swelling. They often have difficulty performing daily and functional activities such as ascending or descending stairs, walking, running and pain at night; this pain is due to the inflammation that causes the calf muscles to weaken.
Why is Cross Training Important?
By Xavier Thompson, ATC
Cross training. What is it and why is it important? If you follow the headlines of any sports’ stars in the off season, you’ll likely see multiple stories about how an athlete is doing something besides their professional sport to prepare for the next season. You can find videos on the internet of star basketball players boxing or doing core work. Articles are written about football players taking up ballet or yoga.
What To Do After a Fall
By Angie Austin, LPTA
Falls happen more often than you may think. In fact, more than one third of adults 65 and older fall each year. (So if you thought you were along, don’t be ashamed!) Thankfully, more often than not, these falls don’t result in serious injury. But, if any symptoms or the reason that caused you to fall in the first place are not recognized or treated, there is a much greater change of future falls and more serious injury.