Balance training/Fall prevention
The total direct costs that result from fall injuries in people over 65 in America is predicted to reach $54 billion by the year 2020. One in three adults over 65 falls each year, and 20%-30% of them suffer injuries during the fall that make it harder for them to move around and to live independently afterwards. The most common injuries that result from falls are head injuries, hip fractures, and other injuries to the hips, knees and feet.
Falls are not an inevitable result of aging. Much can be done to lessen the chances of a debilitating fall. One of the most effective tools in the toolbox of fall prevention strategies is exercise. As people age they often become more sedentary, and the physical changes that accompany a sedentary lifestyle—muscle weakness, decreased sense of balance, poor righting ability, joint stiffness, muscle tightness—predispose them to falls.
Physical therapy treatment for fall prevention includes a thorough evaluation to assess balance deficits, muscle strength, muscle length or tightness, joint motion and restrictions, and lifestyle. In addition, patients often have goals of their own--to be able to attend an upcoming event, for example--which are incorporated into the therapy treatment plan.
Once the initial assessment is complete a treatment plan is developed and begun, with changes made along the way as needed. Physical therapy for fall prevention is likely to involve stretching to increase muscle length and free restricted joints, balance training (standing on one leg or standing with eyes closed, for example) and muscle strengthening exercises.
Most fall prevention patients feel apprehensive about therapy at first but quickly gain confidence as they begin to feel their strength and balance improving. When the course of therapy is over, patients leave with a written home exercise plan that will help them maintain the positive changes they have made.