What is Balance Therapy?
Balance is the ability to maintain your body position over your feet. In simple terms, it is your ability to not fall. Balance treatment is subdivided into “static balance” when you are stationary and “dynamic balance” for when you are moving.
Balance vs. Dizziness
Do not confuse balance with dizziness (the sensation of spinning). They are often used interchangeably but are in fact distinctly different. Balance is a complex system. For ideal function balance requires input from the vestibular system within the inner ear, vision, sensation, and a strong muscle system.
Reasons for Balance Therapy
Balance Therapy is used to retrain muscles that lost strength after surgical procedures, to improve core strength for posture issues, and as part of rehabilitation after concussions. Balance therapy is used to treat:
- Post-surgical procedures (i.e. ACL repair, achilles repair, total hip or knee replacements, and back surgeries amongst others)
- Concussions
- Ankle or knee joint sprains
- History of falls
- Sports training to improve performance and injury prevention
- Muscle or ligament injuries
Benefits of Balance Therapy
Balance therapy provides patients numerous benefits including improved strength, coordination, and performance in sports or daily activity. Balance therapy allows for:
- Increased confidence with activities
- Improved coordination and agility
- Greater ease with functional mobility like walking, running, and climbing stairs
- Decreased risk for falls or injury
Balance Therapy Treatment
At your first appointment SportsCare Physical Therapists perform a professional Evaluation including specific testing to assess your strength and current balance needs. While discussing your health history, activity level, and individual goals, they may determine if you are a good candidate for balance therapy. Your plan of care may include:
- Manual Therapy
- Therapeutic Exercises
- Posture/balance training
- Education for injury prevention
- Home Exercise Program
- AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill
- Unweighted/Balance Treadmill
- Aquatic Pool Therapy
- Joint Mobilization / Stabilization
- Gait training
- Core strengthening
- Treadmill running analysis and gait assessment
-
Am I a good candidate for balance therapy?
Almost everyone can benefit from some sort of balance training to improve performance of normal daily activities like walking and gardening, or to help with sports and recreational activities like running, hiking or skiing. Balance training is also key to improve injury prevention for athletes and nonathletes alike.
-
How will balance therapy help my injury?
Balance training helps by increasing the brain’s input into areas of injury to improve control and coordination. Along with increasing the strength of the core muscles and the supporting muscles around your injury, balance training can also help prevent future injury.
-
How long will balance therapy typically last?
Physical therapy focused on balance can see improvements as quickly as several weeks up to a few months. Establishing a good home program for patients to continue to work on improving their balance and strength is important for long term success and maintaining those improvements seen in therapy.
-
Does SportsCare take my insurance?
Here is a list of the insurance plans accepted by SportsCare Physical Therapy and Armworks Hand Therapy. If you are unsure of your coverage or if your plan is accepted, please contact one of our offices. We are happy to assist you in learning about your benefits.
-
Where is SportsCare Physical Therapy located?
SportsCare Physical Therapy has offices in Gresham, Sandy, NE Portland, Clackamas, Salem, and Beaverton. For location specific contact information click here.