FIVE WAYS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST CAN HELP PREVENT FALLS

As a person ages, falls can occur on a more frequent basis. However, this isn’t the case with everyone. Certain people will be more at risk for these falls than others.

If you’ve started to experience this, you may want to consider seeing a physiotherapist. This therapist will be able to assist you in the prevention of falls, which can help keep you in good health.

1.Poor Blood Pressure When Standing

A common issue that’s oftentimes present as a person ages is known as postural hypotension. This condition gives people that are affected by it a light headed feeling that can cause dizziness and lead to falls. It usually occurs when standing up way too quickly. In cases where hypotension develops, it’s largely due to the blood pressure not being able to react as it should according to the quick movement.

There are a number of causes for postural hypotension. The important thing to understand is that a physiotherapist can address this issue and treat it with the usage of cardio exercise as a remedy. This has the added benefit of making you healthier overall.

2.Balancing Issues

If you’ve suffered from poor balance for much of your life, this will cause you to fall on a more regular basis as you grow older. These balance issues can also be caused by several different diseases.

No matter the reason for the problem at hand, balance can be drastically improved by making use of a physiotherapist. This therapist will task you with completing a selection of exercises that will assist in the continued improvement of your balance, which will hopefully lessen the amount of falls you experience.

3.Weakness Within the Leg Muscle

Weakness within the leg muscles increases dramatically with age, especially if you’ve never exercised on a regular basis. Muscle strength is always tricky to maintain as you get older, but exercising during the years where you are at your most fit will provide your legs with core muscle strength that they need. If you don’t do this, muscle weakness in this area may lead to an increase in falls the older you get.

A physiotherapist provides you with a selection of exercises that help to improve muscle strength in the leg. These exercises are doable no matter how old you are.

4.Walking Difficulties

There are a myriad of issues that could lead to difficulties with walking. Each of these issues increases the likelihood that you’re going to suffer from a fall. These difficulties could be caused by everything from a general pain in the area to coordination and balance issues. The problem can be exacerbated if you don’t walk as often as you should, especially if you don’t walk outside on a regular basis. By utilizing a physiotherapist to assist you with these problems, you can better ascertain why you’re having trouble walking and what you can do to fix the issue.

These fixes typically come in the form of standard exercises to make your body stronger and healthier. For instance, you may be tasked with walking for a certain amount each day, with the time you spend walking increasing week by week. If the issue is more severe, your physiotherapist might recommend that you use a walking stick to assist you with walking. Anything that can help in the prevention of falls is more than worth it.

5.Basic Fear

Though not too common, people that may have experienced a fall or two in the past could start to avoid exercises and regular activity. If this occurs, the condition of your body is weakened and will no longer have the strength necessary to avoid falls as you want it to. As this is happening, the chances of suffering from a fall increase. Physio helps to curtail these fears and set you on a path that will allow you to prevent falls now and in the future.

This is just a small sample of the many ways in which a physiotherapist can help in the prevention of falls. Anyone that’s interested in utilizing the services of a physiotherapist should seek treatment right away, as one bad fall could cause severe injury.