As a physical therapist, I’m always dealing with the usual issues—soreness, aches, sprains, you name it. One of the common complaints I notice (more among my elderly patients) is that one’s "balance feels off.” I hear this all the time, and I want to explain a little about why your balance may feel ‘off’ and what you can do about it.
Here’s a visual breakdown that may help you understand. Balance is a product of 4 major systems in your body:
1. Vestibular - Inner ear system that tells you when you are upright.
2. Proprioceptive - Tells you where you are in space.
3. Visual - Gives you a frame of reference for what "upright" is.
4. Muscular - Used for every movement and maintaining posture. Also gives you the strength to compensate for a loss in the other systems.
As with many other functions of the body, all of these systems must work in harmony in order for your balance to work properly. Many times, a deficit in one or more of these systems will cause your balance to "feel off.”
Understanding what goes into balance is important to improve it. For example, now that we see that the visual system is an important component, regular eye exams are imperative to prevent you from ending up on the floor. Likewise, because your muscular system is a major—if not the most important—player, regular exercise should be part of your everyday life.
So you might be saying to yourself, "I exercise every day and I also keep up with my eye and ear check-ups, but my balance still feels off!" What’s going on there? In that case, a one-on-one consultation with a physical therapist may help figure out your individual assessment. That and, you can also come in for our...
FREE BALANCE SEMINAR
THURSDAY OCT 7th, 2010 at 12:30 PM
at PALISADIUM GYM
700 Palisadium Drive, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
Feel free to bring your friends—no gym membership required! We’ll be learning some exercises to challenge and strengthen your balance—so that even on your “off” days, you’ll still be standing tall.
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