PTII: Is Your Balance Setting You Up For Injury?

PTII: Is Your Balance Setting You Up For Injury?

Health&Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

“How To Avoid Future Back Pain & Injuries” Is Balance Setting You Up For An Injury?

How is your balance? Have you checked it lately? Poor balance and coordination is the number one cause of trips, falls, and injuries. It even greatly affects back pain and posture.

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Al Flores, PT, CFCE Director of Rehab

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

“How To Avoid Future Back Pain & Injuries” Is Balance Setting You Up For An Injury?

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You don’t have to be old to have non-optimum balance. In fact, a majority of sports injuries are attributed to not having the right balance reflexes needed to adapt to the surface, causing sprains, strains and other injuries. Our balance and vestibular systems give us the ability to walk on two legs, run and be active. Our balance and vestibular system develops as we grow from a baby all the way through adulthood, and then begins to decline. Most people don’t know their balance is not optimum until they suffer a sports injury, trip and fall, or lose their balance in the shower. No matter what your age, balance affects your ability to be active. Can you do this? • Stand next to a counter, sink or chair barefoot with your hand gently grasping the counter surface. • Put one foot directly in front of the other, so that one heel is touching the opposite toes. • Gently lift your hand up, but keep it close to the counter in case you need to grab it quickly. Try to hold this for 10 seconds (only do this if you feel safe or have someone nearby to help you). • Now try it with your eyes closed. • Do you wobble a lot or even lose your balance? Your balance needs work!

4 Reasons For Our Decline in Balance: 1. Changes in our vestibular system 2. Changes in muscle mass, flexibility and strength 3. Changes in eyesight 4. Previous injuries to ankle, knee, hip or spinal joints

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IMPROVING BALANCE TO EASE PAIN

How balance affects sports performance The more aggressive you are in sports, the better your balance and reflexes have to be. Many ankle, knee, hip and back injuries in running, tennis and other sports are attributed to poorly performing balance. By incorporating simple balance exercises into your workout routine, you can set yourself up for success and prevent injuries, as well as enhance your sports performance. How balance affects back pain How you walk directly impacts your back and can actually be a big contributor to back pain. By improving balance, coordination and strength in your hips, pelvis and legs, your spine will be supported and guided, reducing strain. This in turn, helps your back function normally without aggravation and inflammation. Balance activities are an important component of our SPINE Program for relieving back pain. “2.5 million adults were treated for nonfatal injuries in emergency departments in 2016.”

Preventing falls According to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), over 2.5 million adults were treated for nonfatal injuries in emergency departments in 2016. In older adults, falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries. Most people don’t think about keeping their balance in shape, until it is too late and they fall, fracturing an arm, leg or injuring their back. The good news is that most falls can easily be prevented, simply by the regular exercising of your balance system. What you can do You can improve your balance, and it involves performing simple balance exercises. The first step in preventing an injury or fall is testing your balance and being honest with yourself that your balance needs work. Our physical therapists can make a big difference in improving your balance and vestibular system, improving your ability to be active, safely. Call us today to learn more about our specialized programs and how you can get back to an active, pain-free lifestyle!

Come Back In For A Consultation Whether you want to come in for a check-up, suffered a recent injury or you want to improve your health, you can choose the physical therapy practice you want! Come back to PTII for a consultation today!

See our physical therapists for: • Recent injury • Nagging aches and pains • Back and neck pain • Joint pain and movement problems • Walking or balance difficulties

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EXERCISE ESSENTIALS

Try these exercises to get you moving... SINGLE LEG STANCE Stand tall. Be close to support, both at your sides and behind in case you lose your balance. Balance on one leg then switch to the other leg.

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Helps Improve Balance

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ALTERNATING STEP TOUCH Stand “tall”, with sturdy step stool positioned in front. Step one foot at a time onto the stool. Alternate legs.

Helps Improve Balance

Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.

SMOOTHIE RECIPE TO COMBAT VERTIGO SERVES: 2

PATIENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT

“ The therapists at Physical Therapy Institute of Illinios are interested in helping you recover quickly and safely. I feel my daughter’s fast progress was because of the care she received fromJoy and the rest of the PTII team.” - F.S. “I feel my daughter’s fast progress was because of the care she received from Joy and the rest of the PTII team.”

Put These Ingredients In A Blender

• ½ cup of vanilla yogurt • 2 cups of vanilla soy milk / almond milk / or equivalent • 1 B-complex vitamin • 1 500mg orange flavored Vitamin C chewable • 2-3 kale leaves (optional) • Frozen raspberries (optional)

• 1 lemon • ½ of an apple • ½ of a banana • 3 tbsp of frozen orange juice concentrate • 5 whole frozen strawberries • 1 ring of a pineapple

Did you know? Vitamin and flavonoid supplementation is a course of action that doctors advise for vertigo caused by Meniere’s Disease. This smoothie provides the specific vitamins your body needs to get relief from some types of vertigo. If you need help with your vertigo consult your physical therapist.

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