Maintaining Activity with a Balance and Gait Disorder
Often times mobility is taken for granted by younger adults. The ability to complete tasks associated with daily living such as using the bathroom or walking to the refrigerator to get a snack may be a struggle for the elderly. An under-appreciated component of walking, and standing in general, is our balance and gait. When balance and gait are not functioning properly, activities of daily living become a challenge and the risk of falls increase. A proactive approach to creating a safety plan is to consult with your doctor about physical therapy.
Treatment for a gait and balance disorder can be achieved at home or in a clinic setting with a physical therapists. At Action Home Therapy, we pride ourselves on our client-first approach to physical therapy and work to provide the highest quality care in the field. We know how important a body is to a healthy life, and we want to help make your body the healthiest it can be.
Understanding Gait Disorders
Gait disorders are disorders that cause abnormal movements in how you walk, run, and move. These tend to become worse with age. Conversely, balance disorders are disorders that impact your sense of balance. Unlike gait disorders, these can be both physical and mental in nature, but regardless of the cause they affect your physical balance. When you are suffering from a balance disorder it can be very disorienting and difficult to lead a normal life. The most common cause of these disorders is issues with vestibular system. The vestibular system includes the inner ear and nerve receptors in the joints throughout the body. Common forms of vestibular issues that can cause balance are gait disorders are Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and neurological issues such as Parkinson’s disease.
At Home Physical Therapy Treating Balance and Gait Disorders
Physical therapy is an excellent option to treat balance and gait disorders. When completing physical therapy, you will be given targeted exercises designed to target and repair your specific issue under the watchful eye of a trained professional. These exercises can take multiple forms. One common form of physical therapy for balance and gait disorders is vestibular rehabilitation which works to improve vision, nerves, and muscles. When the issue is in the ear, vestibular rehabilitation uses exercise that move calcium debris into the proper parts within the ear. When a gait disorder is caused by proper technique or form when walking, retraining exercises can be used to unlearn the incorrect technique and learn the correct way to do so. When the disorder is impacted by weakening in the muscles strengthening exercises can be used to build the muscles back up and supplement any other additional exercise regiments you have been placed on. Aside from helping the healing process, an additional benefit of physical therapy is that it can prevent future injury or relapses of the disorder. It does this by strengthening the body beyond the initial level it was at before the injury, as well as stretches that limber up the body and help prevent future injury. At Action Home Therapy, we welcome inquires to learn more about how we can help you maintain your independence.