Your legs and your core are part of the main muscle groups that impact your balance and coordination. When these key muscle groups are fortified and strengthened, it can greatly reduce your risk of falling and becoming injured. The risk of falling is not just limited to the elderly population either. Having a strong base and core of your body is beneficial in any age, aspect, or stage of life you are in. The ground has proven to be unforgiving at times and it is best to take the steps to reduce your fall risk in order to avoid injuries that can lead to muscle or bone damage or maybe even end up resulting in needing surgery. Physical therapy provided at Pick PT is aimed at helping to target your main muscle groups by strengthening your muscles, improving your balance, and maximizing your coordination skills – all of which will aid in the goal of reducing your fall risk.
Reducing Fall Risk
Who is at Risk for Falling?
Falling can occur for many different reasons and physical therapists can help assess your particular fall risk and identify these specific reasons to help you move more safely and confidently. Common factors for those who are at risk for falling can include:
- Dizziness
- Problems with walking
- Advanced age
- Balance issues
- Joint pain like arthritis
- Medical conditions (stroke, dementia, diabetes)
- Weak muscles
The risk of falling increases when dealing with one or multiple of these issues. Pick PT will help you address any of these causes and set you up on a personalized plan to reduce your fall risk.
Reducing Your Fall Risk with Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a great way to strengthen and fortify your body no matter what physical activity you are doing. Your physical therapist will work to accomplish this by having your body move, work without pain, and to the best of its ability. When your muscles and joints are strong, you maximize your body’s ability to avoid falling, as well as be able to recover quicker if you do suffer a fall. Your physical therapist will walk you through many different exercises and treatments in an effort to reduce your fall risk.
Initial Assessment
The physical therapists at Pick PT will start off by trying to understand your concerns and medical history in order to know how to support you on this physical therapy journey. They can help to identify any factors that are increasing your risk of falling. There are many times that people do not realize they are at risk of falling until they actually fall.
Assessment of Balance and Strength
In order to gauge where you are physically so they know how to best work with you, your physical therapist will assess your walking, your balance, and your strength. This will help them to know which areas can be improved and will help you to feel stronger and more confident as you are moving around.
Strength Training
Building up your legs and your core is often one of the first steps your physical therapist will take to help you counteract fall risks. When you have more strength and a strong core, it improves your stability and will also help you to recover more effectively from sudden movements.
Balance Exercises
In order to get your body familiar with and tolerant of different unstable surfaces that may cause you to fall, your physical therapist can guide you through different balance exercises. Some exercises could include balance boards that are used to challenge and strengthen your balance.
Functionality Exercises
While specific balance and strength exercises are crucial in helping to reduce your fall risk, it can be very practical to include some functionality exercises in your physical therapy program. Everyday living can become tricky due to any number of falling risk factors, so practicing simple tasks in exercise form becomes very beneficial. In a controlled environment, a physical therapist might have you do simple exercises like getting up from a chair or stepping over items to increase your functionality in everyday activities.
Building Strength and Confidence
Turning to physical therapy to gain the tools, knowledge, and strength to help prevent falls is more than just helping yourself not get injured. Falling can be quite dangerous no matter what stage of life you are in, and physical therapy can give you the resources and exercises to help mitigate those risks – but it also increases your confidence as well. Being surefooted in your surroundings and throughout your life can help put you at ease and build your confidence in your own mobility abilities. Sticking with these individualized programs and practicing these exercises throughout your life can improve your way of life – especially as you age.
Reduce Environmental Risks
The best way to improve your strength, balance, and coordination is through physical therapy but you can also take some simple steps at home to reduce your fall risk as well. Improving the safety of your home or your environment can include:
- Having limited cords or clutter on the ground
- Use wall anchors to secure your furniture
- Have enough lighting inside and outside
- Secure your rugs to the ground
- Wear supportive shoes and footwear when walking around
These simple suggestions can go a long way in mitigating your falling risk in conjunction with the physical therapy you receive to strengthen your core and limit any medical fall risk symptoms.
Choose Pick PT for Fall Prevention
Everybody inevitably ages and many people have different conditions that may impact their balance or coordination, but falls do not have to be inevitable. You can start today by taking the steps you need to assess your risk for falling and how you can overcome that and reduce your fall risk. We are incredibly thorough here at Pick PT. From your initial assessment to your continued individualized treatment, we work to improve your life every single day so that you can live your life more confidently and reduce your risk of falling and injury along the way. Contact us for a free consultation to see how we can best help you reduce your risk of falling today.
