Five Simple Tips for Improving Your Balance
Avoid Falls and Stay on Your Feet–With a Little Help from Physical Therapy
Are you worried about falling and injuring yourself? Does limited mobility due to arthritis or another condition make you feel shaky? Balance challenges can certainly be difficult, but you do have options for improving your overall balance and stability!
One of the things we do at Priority Physical Therapy is helping people work on the spatial awareness and muscular strength crucial in addressing balance challenges. This is especially true for people with a high risk of falling, where improved balance could save you a trip to the hospital. Want to learn more about the importance of good balance? Call to schedule an appointment today.
Why Should I Work on My Balance At All?
The older you get, the more important good balance becomes. Falls are one of the biggest threats to adults 65 years or older, causing millions of hospitalizations and emergency room visits every year.
While several factors contribute to this high fall risk–including age-related sensory and physical changes–you can do things to lessen your risk, and it’s never too early to get started! If you start working to improve your balance now, you’ll be in a better place as you age.
That said, there are other benefits to improving balance for younger people. A good sense of balance has a radiating effect on your overall fitness, helping to improve your posture and overall movement. You’ll be better able to catch yourself if you stumble or trip, and you might notice improvements in other physical activities, like running or playing sports.
How Can I Improve My Balance? Five Suggestions from Our Physical Therapists
- Go for a Walk: Sometimes, the best solutions are the simplest. Walking helps build core and lower-body strength, two crucial components of good balance, and it’s safe and effective for most people. That said, if you’re struggling with balance, it’s important to speak to your physical therapist first–you might benefit from initial balance training or using a mobility aid during your walks.
- Restore Your Mobility: Stiff or arthritic joints can negatively impact your balance. Our physical therapists can teach you how to restore or improve your mobility and guide you on a safe routine you can perform at home that targets your individual needs.
- Target Your Core: If you’re really struggling with balance and instability, it may be time to focus on dedicated core exercises. Your core refers to the muscles that wrap around your spine–your back, hip, glute, and ab muscles. They keep your spine stabilized, which in turn helps you keep your balance. Not sure where to start with core strengthening? Our physical therapists can show you which exercises will work best for you.
- Challenge Your Balance: As with any other aspect of fitness, spending time on dedicated balance training can help you see results. Your goal is to find exercises that challenge your sense of balance without putting you at risk of falling–again, this is something our PTs can help with.
- Assess Your Balance: If you want to get serious about improving your balance, schedule an appointment at Priority Physical Therapy to have your balance assessed by one of our experts. We’ll run several balance screens to help us pinpoint the exact reason for your balance challenges–it may even be something you didn’t expect, such as inner ear issues. With a balance assessment, we can help you target your treatment to suit your exact needs.
Afraid You’ll Lose Your Footing? We’ve Got Your Back
The physical therapists at Priority Physical Therapy specialize in movement and exercise. If you visit us for a balance assessment, we can design a customized treatment program that addresses your needs and abilities. For example…
- Dealing with persistent pain that makes walking difficult? We can guide you through a drug-free pain management program.
- Find most core exercises impossible? You’re not alone. Although activities like core planks have significant benefits, many beginners need to build up to them. We’ll show you core exercises that you can actually perform.
- Not sure how to challenge your balance? We’ll guide you through a progress balance training program, measuring your progress and increasing intensity as you go.
Don’t miss out on the benefits of good balance. Call us to request your balance assessment today!
Exercise of the Month
Tree Pose
- From a standing position, lift your right foot off the floor.
- Place the bottom of your foot on the inside of your left leg either next to or above your left knee using your right hand.
- Raise your hands directly over your head and hold the position.
- Slowly return to the starting position. Now, repeat the movement but, this time, bring your left foot next to or above your right knee using your left hand.
Help! Planking is Too Hard for Me!
If you’ve ever looked into strengthening your core, you’ve likely heard of planking. This deceptively difficult exercise involves holding your body in a straight line like a plank of wood. The most common version involves supporting yourself on your forearms and your toes.
It looks easy, but in reality, planking requires a tremendous amount of core strength while requiring you to use proper form–not letting your hips sag or stick too high up in the air, for example. And sometimes, someone might try a plank for the first time, only to discover that it’s nearly impossible for them to hold the position for 6 seconds, much less 60!
If that sounds familiar, don’t despair. You can build your core strength through plank variations.
If Planking is Too Hard, Try These Variations Instead
- Tabletop Plank: Performing a plank correctly requires activating your core muscles. This exercise helps you learn what that feels like. Position yourself on your hands and knees, your gaze on the floor, and your spine neutral. Practice engaging your core muscles–but don’t hold your breath.
- Bear Plank: Once you’ve got the hang of a tabletop plank, try a bear plank. Start in the same position as a tabletop plank. Then, tuck your toes, engage your core, and lift your knees about an inch off the ground. Hold for as long as you can, take a break, and then repeat.
- Incline Plank: Rather than resting your forearms on the floor, you can try a plank in which you rest your forearms on a bench or step. Arrange your forearms or palms on a sturdy, flat, elevated surface, then walk your feet back until your body forms a straight, diagonal line. Brace your core and hold for as long as you can.
Want more tips on improving your core strength? Make an appointment with Priority Physical Therapy today!
Staff Spotlight
Shelby Steidinger, PTA
Shelby earned her PTA Associate’s degree from Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City. Before joining PPT in August 2021, she worked at a nursing home for 9 months. Now, Shelby has been with PPT for almost three years! Shelby enjoys spending time with her family, participating in church, and outdoor activities! She and her husband, Jordan, have two daughters, Harper and Quinn, with a third due in January 2025! Shelby’s favorite part of being a Physical Therapist is the community! She loves interacting with patients and helping them heal and reach their goals. We are so blessed to have Shelby as part of our team!
Have You Met Your Annual Insurance Deductible?
An insurance deductible is the amount of money that you must pay before your insurance company pays for your medical services. If your deductible is met, your Physical Therapy may not cost you anything. Patients with family plans or those who have had major surgeries or have a chronic illness are especially likely to have a $0 balance remaining on their out-of-pocket expenses. This means that the cost of physical therapy could be minimal or completely covered by the patient’s insurance plan.
If you are close to or have met your insurance deductible for the year, then now is the time to come in for Physical Therapy! Are you feeling aches and pains? Need to work on your core? Let us help you get a head start for 2025.
Have you undergone surgery recently? Call us today at phone number to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists. We’ll guide you to affordable treatments that will place you one step closer to pain relief.
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