Need Your Gait And Balance Checked? A Physical Therapist Can Help!
Find the Relief You’ve Been Looking For Today
Do you search for walls, railings, or other items to assist you stay balanced? Is your equilibrium simply not what it once was? If this sounds like you, you might have a balance or gait problem that needs to be addressed!
At some point in our lives, we’ve all felt dizzy. It’s not a pleasant sensation, to say the least. For some people, though, feeling dizzy and imbalanced is a regular occurrence.
A problem with your balance or gait can be caused or exacerbated by underlying musculoskeletal and neurological disorders. Fortunately, our Newcastle, ON physiotherapy practice can assist you in restoring and correcting your balance.
There are a variety of causes for this ailment, and it can affect both your physical and mental well-being. We can help you manage your symptoms and, in many cases, alleviate them at Newcastle Physiotherapy and Sports Rehab.
The difference between gait and balance disorders
Balance and gait disorders belong to a family of functional problems that interfere with your positional awareness, your normal means of walking or running, and your ability to keep yourself upright.
A physiotherapist at Newcastle Physiotherapy and Sports Rehab will be able to diagnose your specific condition after a thorough evaluation; however, here is some information on gait disorders versus balance disorders:
Gait disorders
According to Move Forward Physiotherapy, gait disorders account for 17 percent of senior falls. Gait disorders can cause abnormal movements in the way you walk and run, and these can become exaggerated with age.
They can also be caused by stroke, inner ear problems, foot conditions, or even something as simple as ill-fitting shoes.
Balance disorders
With balance disorders, people report feeling as if they are about to fall, staggering when attempting to walk, as well as a sensation of floating. Blurred vision and feelings of disorientation are also common.
Balance disorders are both physical and mental, as your brain may think you are moving, even when you are not. Changes to your joint strength, mobility, and ability to sense where your joints are in space (proprioception), all have physical consequences on your balance.
So, what’s causing my balance or gait disorder?
Balance and gait disorders can develop from many different underlying conditions. Many balance disorders are related to issues in the vestibular system, which is responsible for your sense of position, also known as “proprioception.”
Your vestibular system is a delicate collection of fluid-filled chambers and sensory nerves, located in the inner ear, and thousands of nerve receptors in the joints throughout your body. Some common vestibular conditions resulting in balance disorders include:
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV occurs when calcium debris breaks off in the inner ear, causing issues with balance.
Injuries and ailments
Even if your brain and nervous system are working in harmony with one another, a sudden injury, disease, accident, or other ailment causing muscle weakness can interfere with your balance and make it difficult to keep yourself upright.
Neurological issues
There are hundreds of different neurological issues that can result in balance and gait problems. They may include Parkinson’s disease, brain injury, or stroke.
How will Physiotherapy help with my balance or gait disorder?
Physiotherapy is the best option for balance and gait disorders. Our Newcastle, ON physiotherapists can provide you with the best techniques for improving your balance and ability to walk. It’s important to get help if you are having trouble remaining steady, as you want to prevent falling and injuring yourself!
When you arrive for your initial appointment, our physiotherapist will conduct a comprehensive physical evaluation to examine your balance, gait, stance, medical history, and symptoms, before creating a personalized treatment plan made for your specific needs.
This treatment plan may include the following exercises and treatment methods:
Gait retraining exercises
Sometimes, abnormalities in gait can be corrected through “retraining” where you learn proper techniques. Runners can benefit from this kind of therapy technique especially.
Strengthening exercises
Your physiotherapy evaluation will help determine what problem areas in your body may need strengthening. Our physiotherapist 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.
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.
Vestibular rehabilitation
This physiotherapy 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 Newcastle, ON physiotherapists will provide you with specific exercises that will move the calcium debris to the correct parts of your ear.
Find relief for your balance or gait disorder today
Balance and gait problems do not have to rule your life. You can benefit from physiotherapy! We’re here to assist you in getting back on your feet. Request an appointment at Newcastle Physiotherapy and Sports Rehab by clicking HERE today. We’ll help you find the right balance and teach you how to manage your condition in the future!