How do you know if you're a fall risk?
Do you lose your balance frequently even without an actual fall? Have you had an actual fall in the last year?
Do you have difficulty transferring from sitting to standing without hand assistance?
Being a fall risk can be a more short term issue, as related to an injury or surgery. It can also be a longer standing issue as part of impairments in the vestibular, visual and peripheral proprioceptive systems. Your physical therapist will assess your balance through a variety of different tests. These can look like your ability to stand on one foot, unassisted ; how long it takes to get you to stand up and walk a certain distance and then sit back down ; how far you can reach outside your base of support and more.
When do falls happen?
Falls can happen when you least expect it, any where and any time of day. Low lighting and throw rugs are external factors that you an easily manage. If you get up at night, make sure you turn on a light, or at least minimally have a nightlight (or several) to light your path. Throw rugs tend to cause patients to catch their toes and send them flying. Keep floors and pathways clear and wide. Additionally, going barefoot or with shoes that have good traction. Socks are a slip waiting to happen.
How do we prevent future falls?
One thing that your physical therapist may do with you is practice getting up off the floor. Floor mobility is important for a variety of reasons, but especially being able to get back up if you've fallen.
We will also focus on challenging your balance through activities that make you lose your balance. Seems counterproductive right? But we will be there to spot you and keep your safe. The options are endless (and quite fun) to challenge your balance. We will also target lower extremity and core strength. Our balance reaction starts in our ankles and then moves up the kinetic chain depending on how large the loss of balance is in order to regain our balance.
Physical therapy for balance in Columbia and Baltimore, Maryland
If you have had a fall or are a fall risk reach out to our office today!
