Tips for Improving Balance

At Physical Therapy Experience in Smithtown and Oceanside, patients can expect excellent physical therapy care and treatment for their injuries whether they are sports injuries or accident induced. Treatment methods include using machines, stretches, postural training, and balance improvement.

The main parts of the body that control balance are the eyes Balance problems in patients are often the result is illness/injury such as a stroke, MS, spinal cord injuries, and head trauma.  For a doctor to diagnosis a balance problem they will ask the patient questions such as.

• How many times has the patient fallen?
• What times of the day do your balance problems improve or worsen?
• Do you have any medical conditions?

After the doctors at Physical Therapy Experience in Smithtown and Oceanside have established what is causing the balance problem in their patient they will then start creating treatment programs for the individual to help improve their condition. The doctor might use a variety of different exercises to increase a patient’s balance and reduce the risk of injury.
    
 Exercises:

• Single leg stances: a patient will be asked to stand on one leg while bracing themselves on a wall and holding the stance for 30 seconds; then they will change legs.

• Walking heel to toe: the doctor will instruct the patient to walk 10 paces with their heel directly in front of their toe.

• Walking with various head motions: the patient will be instructed to walk 10 paces moving their head in different directions. This form of therapy will help the patient’s equilibrium get adjusted to different movements.

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Physical Therapy Experience in Smithtown and Oceanside has served their communities for over 20 years and has great success in diagnosing and treating patients with balance issues. If you are a new patient feel free to call the office to get a consultation and schedule your upcoming appointments. Contact us today!