Why is balance important?
Balance impairment is one of our favourite things to treat at Ramp Up Physiotherapy. Why? Well because reduced balance can have such a significant impact on people’s quality of life. Firstly, poor balance can contribute to falls, which are not only scary, but may also lead to other injury such as wrist or hip fractures. Secondly, balance plays an integral function in just about every activity that we participate in, each and every day, such as getting dressed, walking or playing sport. Thirdly, physiotherapy treatment for balance is often really fun!
What systems are involved in keeping us balanced?
Three systems in the body play a key role in maintaining your balance. These are the: visual system, vestibular system and proprioceptive system.
Your vision tells you where you are in relation to what’s happening around you. If you’re looking at the horizon and it’s not horizontal, there’s a clear clue that you’re probably off balance. The vestibular system detects head motion and makes adjustments based on this motion to maintain your balance. Lastly, receptors in our body detect how are joints and body is moving and using this information to keep us balanced.
How is balance treated at Ramp Up Physiotherapy?
Our management of balance varies for each person, as we tailor our therapy to your goals. We know that you want better balance but we want to know why this is too. Some common goals are:
- I want to walk faster to keep up with others.
- I want to be able to put my pants on without having to sit down on the bed.
- I want to participate in hiking.
- I want to play with my grandkids without being worried about falling.
As you can see, these goals vary a lot. At Ramp Up Physiotherapy, we do target all of the systems involved in balance (visual, vestibular and proprioceptive) but we tailor our exercises to your individual goals.
Another thing we provide at Ramp Up Physiotherapy is small-group balance classes. These are a fun and cost-effective way to meet others while increasing your balance. Head over to our Group Classes page to learn more.