5 Signs You May Need Balance Therapy
- Hanna Kearney PT, DPT
- Nov 28, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated November 17th, 2022
Surfing / Debility / Realization / Conclusion
Introduction
A rising trend in Physical Therapy clinics is balance therapy. Physical therapists are trained to improve balance in almost all of our patients, whether they come to see us after a knee surgery, a sprained ankle, after having a stroke, or even with a bad case of vertigo. However, there are many signs you may need balance therapy that don’t include the latter. Read through the following signs to determine if you need to see a PT for balance therapy:
1. You’ve had a fall in the past year
There are a number of balance assessments that you can perform in a PT clinic or even online that score your likelihood of having a fall. However, I always tell my patients that the most likely indicator of having a fall in the future is a fall in the past. Once you’ve had one fall, your risk of having another fall doubles (1). Falling can be as simple as tripping over the threshold of your doorway, to miss-stepping off of a ladder, to even sliding off the edge of the bed when you got up too quick.
2. You’ve had near falls in the past 6 months
What is a near fall? This includes losing your balance and catching yourself on furniture or the wall, your knee or hip buckling or giving way, or missing a stair or step but able to recover before you go down. Near falls are like little caution lights saying “Hey! You didn’t fall, but something isn’t right here!”. Sometimes weakness in the legs or difficulty feeling your feet can cause near falls.
3. You “furniture surf"
Okay, so “furniture surfing” is not a very medically supported term, but it’s my most accurate way to describe when a patient keeps their hand or fingertips on the wall, chair backs, reaches counter to counter in the kitchen for stability, and finds themselves “reaching out” for the next object in their environment. Many patients tell me that they use a cane or a walker outside of their home, but since their home space is small, they can stabilize with other objects. This poses a fall risk because objects move, hand placement may not be sturdy, and the few steps between objects can cause balance issues, especially if you move quickly between them. Plus, nobody should have to be tied to the structure of their home or environment, or rely on holding the refrigerator door handle to swing over to the sink while cooking dinner for their family.
4. You’re experiencing changes in your mobility
Have you had to switch from “furniture surfing” to using a cane while inside the house? Have you recently needed to use a walker with a seat and take breaks while out shopping? Are you relying more on the railings or having difficulty getting your foot up to the step of your stairs compared to a few months ago? Changes in your ability to move around your home, favorite restaurant, and even getting off of the toilet can be ego-busting. However, these day-to-day functions can be improved with balance training! Many of my patients assume that their decline in mobility is normal, that it is a part of the aging process, and that it will likely continue to decline. Balance therapy can target these specific declines and help make your mobility more efficient, easier, and safer.
5. You feel like you need to improve your balance
At the end of the day, admitting our own faults, especially with our health, is one of the toughest things to do. If any of this article has caused you to think “Hey, that’s me”, or “Wow, I do that”, it’s time to call your local physical therapist and request treatment for balance therapy. It’s also okay to make an appointment, even if you are not sure if your balance is poor. We would rather perform some testing to determine if you are at risk of having a fall before you’ve even had one. Prevention of falls is key, rather than having to start balance training after you’ve had a hip fracture after falling.
Conclusion
Physical Therapists specialize in balance assessment, training, and mobility improvement. If you or a loved one is having difficulty with balance, please call your doctor or local physical therapist. NOW is the time to take care of you and prevent any injury from falls!
References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facts about falls. www.cdc.gov. Published September 30, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/falls/facts.html
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