Five Benefits of Balance Therapy

January 5, 2022
Do you often fall, slip, or lose your balance in public? Whether it be on the ice in Winter, playing basketball on the local club team, or doing simple tasks like leaning over to pick up something off the floor, imbalance issues and dizziness affected 15% of American adults (33 million) in 2008. 

If this describes you or someone you know, it’s possible that you suffer from a weak core or what is commonly referred to as a balance disorder. Read on to discover how balance therapy could help you improve balance control, and reduce the chance of fall-related injuries. 

What is it? 

Balance therapy is “applied to improve the primary problems caused by the vestibular disorders, such as dizziness, vertigo, gaze instability, falls, and imbalance.” It can also be applied to those who may suffer from secondary causes, such as: as fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and inability to concentrate.

This form of therapy is primarily an exercise-based physical therapy program, with customized plans based upon the condition of the patient. Three common exercises are: 

  • Habituation
  • Gaze Stabilization
  • Balance Training

Who Does it Affect? 

Physical therapists will often employ balance treatment in order to restore quality of life to a patient suffering from emotional distress, depression, and anxiety as a result of their disorder––sedentary lifestyles are also common in those who deal with imbalance or dizziness for fear of slippage and falls. 

The elderly are particularly susceptible to disorders, weak cores, and common falls. Balance disorders in this group are the “leading cause of falls, disability and sometimes even death.”

 Five Benefits to Balance Therapy

While there are a number of benefits included in balance therapy, we’ve detailed five of the top reasons below. 

Pain Reduction

Balance therapy goes beyond the bounds of leg strengthening. In most cases, it challenges the whole body to act as a singular unit. This can lead to improved posture, lead to less back pain, and a decreased risk of arthritis.

Improved Athleticism

Athletes who practice balance therapy on a regular basis see an improvement in their agility, better reaction times, and an overall shift in their performance level quality.

Longer Life

As it was mentioned above, falls are the leading cause of injury and death for older Americans. With improved balance and balance skills, senior citizens drastically reduce the risk of fall, and in turn extends the longevity of their life. 

Reduced Injury

Implied in balance therapy is the reduction of potential injury, threatening and nonthreatening. Better balance can keep you from hurting yourself on icy sidewalks, falling up and down the basketball court, or losing balance when picking up trash from the floor.

Social & Emotional Wellbeing

Physiotherapy can help an individual in their social life by providing groups of people committed to a similar task in a like-minded community. This helps change a person’s attitude and quality of life. 

Call Country Roads Physical Therapy Today!

You don’t have to suffer from imbalance disorders––with a few tips and simple changes, you can experience better control and relief today. 

With our state-of-the-art equipment, aquatic facility, and ASTYM/Functional Dry Needling treatment options, our hands-on techniques are perfect for treating weak cores, falls, age-related pain, and encouraging imbalance-related injury prevention. 

To make an appointment or for additional information on Country Roads Physical Therapy, you can visit www.countryroadspt.com. We have locations in West Fairmont, East Fairmont, Buckhannon, Wheeling, Morgantown, and Whitehall, West Virginia.