Risk of falling is a serious concern, particularly among the elderly. According to the CDC, millions of people fall each year, and falling once virtually doubles your risk of a future fall. What’s more, nearly 20% of falls result in a serious injury such as a broken bone. While no one can reverse the natural aging process, anyone can take a proactive approach to reducing the risk of falling. 

One of the most effective ways to do this is improving your balance. By working with a physical therapist, you can ensure that you do this safely and in a clinically supervised environment. To give you a clearer picture of the specific ways that physical therapy can help improve your balance, we’re sharing the following helpful overview. 

If you have any questions or just want to learn more about fall prevention, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help. 

Ways to improve balance as part of a physical therapy program

After you’ve received a thorough assessment from your therapist, he or she can then help you develop a comprehensive program to improve your balance. Specific methods may include: 

1. Dedicated balance exercises — Balance training should typically include exercises designed to improve coordination, such as standing on one foot while performing upper body movements. This can also help therapists identify areas and movements that require increased attention. 
2. Strengthening exercises — By increasing the strength of key supporting muscles, particularly the core, overall stability can be greatly improved. 
3. Range-of-motion exercises — Stretches and other movements, both active and passive, can be used to increase flexibility and range of motion, which is key to mobility as well as balance. 

Your therapist can also help you learn about how to increase your safety while at home or work to potentially prevent falls. There is no way to completely eliminate the risk of falls, but by communicating clearly with your treatment team and dedicating yourself to improving your balance, you can give yourself the best chance of avoiding them. 

The Franklin Rehabilitation team understands fall prevention

When you come to Franklin Rehabilitation, you can expect a warm and caring staff who will work with you personally to develop a custom fall prevention strategy. Improving balance is accomplished differently for each person, which is why individualized treatment is so important to us. To learn more and schedule your initial appointment, contact us today.