Balance Training and Fall Prevention

Approximately one third of people over the age of 65 and almost half of the people over the age of 80 will fall at least once this year. Falls can lead to injuries that significantly decrease your quality of life and restrict you from leading an active and independent lifestyle. 4 Oaks Physical Therapy offers balance training and fall prevention therapy that empowers you to protect yourself from the risk of falls, regardless of age or ability.

While age is a factor behind a large majority of falls, balance problems can result from a variety of causes including, but not limited to leg muscle weakness, vision problems, low blood pressure, neurological conditions, orthopedic conditions, stroke, head injuries, and inner ear disorders.

Using Physical Therapy to Reduce the Risk of Falls

If you begin to experience dizziness, difficulty walking or standing upright, spinning, frequent headaches, motion sensitivity, or fatigue, vestibular physical therapy can help reduce these symptoms. In addition to treating symptoms, we can develop a balance training and fall prevention therapy program that will reduce your risk of falls and give you confidence to go about your routine.

Our highly trained therapists will also evaluate your gate cycle to maximize functional mobility. In addition, the therapists will conduct mobility tests such as timing how long it takes you to rise up from a chair and assessing your balance by analyzing how well you stand on one leg.

After those tests, we create a personalized exercise and training program designed to improve your balance, strength, and mobility following a fall. We work with you one-on-one to make sure feel confident returning back to your daily routine after you’ve experienced a fall.

Balance Training and Fall Prevention Treatments

Balance training exercises like single-leg lifts have been proven to be an effective method of falls prevention.  Our therapists also improve your walking ability by having you complete certain balance maneuvers, Figure 8 exercises to strengthen your core, and eventually obstacle courses that use your new muscles.

We focus on increasing the safety of everyday tasks that could cause you to fall such as dual-task training, which might be walking and carrying groceries or counting backwards. Our programs also include strength training, aerobic training, fear management and education on how to have control over your risk of falling.

4 Oaks Physical Therapy helps patients in the Baltimore-Washington area reduce their risk of falls through balance training and fall prevention therapy at all our locations. For more information, please contact us.