Common symptoms associated with fall risk
If you have any of the following symptoms, physiotherapy could greatly benefit you and help prevent the risk of falling.
It is important to note that you should also contact a physiotherapist if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Dizziness or vertigo (“spinning” sensations, even when remaining still)
- Inability to hold your gaze steady
- The feeling of constant swaying
- Double vision or tunnel vision
- Nausea or vomiting
- Arm or leg weakness
- Abnormal eye movements
- Difficulty standing up from a seated position or standing for prolonged periods of time
How can physiotherapy help decrease fall risk?
We utilize 3 major systems for balance:
- Our vision
- Inner ear (vestibular system)
- Sensation we feel in our feet and neck
If one of these systems is not working properly, this can result in becoming imbalanced and unsteady on our feet. Our falls prevention physiotherapy rehab is designed to assess each of these 3 systems to accurately identify and treat the source of your unsteadiness, and reduce the risk of falls.
What will a fall prevention physiotherapy plan look like?
At PhysioPlus Health Group, your initial physical evaluation may consist of several parts so we can determine what your most problematic factors are.
These may include evaluation of your gait, balance, range of motion, and strength as well as vision tests and tests that examine your inner ear function.
Based on the results of this evaluation, our physiotherapist will design a treatment plan for your specific needs.
These plans are aimed first and foremost at reducing your risk of falling, but they will also aid you in improving balance, strength, flexibility, endurance, and overall movement.
Some common forms of treatment include:
- Pain management. If you’re feeling pain anywhere, it will be one of the first things addressed in your treatment plan. Our physiotherapist will want to make sure that your treatment is as comfortable as possible, so you ‘ll work together on relieving pain first, before continuing into any other forms of physical activity that may bring you discomfort.
- Endurance training. Endurance training is all about working up to more advanced levels of the same form of treatment. Our physiotherapist will provide you with an aerobic exercise program and will slowly add time to those exercises as your endurance improves. For example, your endurance training may begin at 10-minute sessions and then may progress to 30-minute sessions.
- Strength training. Strength training is typically paired with your balance training. Our physiotherapist will design a strengthening exercise program plan for you, which will focus on specific muscle groups in need of improvement. The goal of this will be to improve your standing and walking balance, as well as your ability to recover from a loss of balance.
- Balance training. Balance is a large part of fall prevention, as lack of stability is one of the main reasons why falls occur. Our physiotherapists will design a balance-training plan for you as part of your treatment and may ask you to perform certain balance-based activities, such as standing on one leg or holding your balance while performing a mentally-stimulating task (such as reciting the alphabet or reading a page from a book.)
- Walking and moving programs. This part of your treatment plan is aimed at getting you back to your normal physical function when walking and/or moving. Our physiotherapist may ask you to perform certain activities, such as walking in a circle or completing an obstacle course.
Do you have one of these conditions that increases fall risk?
Some people have a higher risk of falling than others. Certain risk factors include:
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Problems with walking or staying balanced
- Problems with vision, such as cataracts or glaucoma
- Arthritis or alternative joint pain
- Previous stroke or heart attack
- Problems with vision
- Advanced age
- Fatigue
- Living a sedentary life
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Overall poor health
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Previous history of falls
Our Bloor West Village and Kingsway physiotherapist will assess your medical history to determine how many risk factors for falling you may have for the goal of fall prevention.
They’ll educate you on what these factors mean, as well as steps you can take to decrease your risk.
After this, they’ll perform a thorough physical evaluation to figure out what the best treatment plan for you will be.
GET THE CARE YOU NEED AT HOME WHEN YOU CAN’T COME TO US
PhysioPlus now offers the convenience of IN-Home Physiotherapy for patients who can’t make it into our clinic. You can now receive the personal care you need in the comfort of your own home from our Registered Physiotherapists and Physio-Pilates Instructors.
Enjoy the convenience of flexible scheduling, less travel, and increased privacy while still receiving top-notch treatment.
Whether you’re recovering from an injury, trying to manage a chronic condition, or simply trying to optimize your health and wellness, our PhysioPlus therapists can give you exceptional results with incredible convenience.
Click here to learn more about our IN-Home Physiotherapy program.
Fight the fall today – find relief with Physiotherapy
Are you ready to get back on your feet by improving your balance and lowering your risk of a fall-related injury?
Contact PhysioPlus Health Group to request an appointment and get started today!
Our clinic is conveniently located near Kingsway and Bloor West Village.
