Balance Disorders
Improve your balance with physical therapy in Salt Lake City.
Understanding Balance Disorders
If you are getting lightheaded, struggling with your equilibrium, or reaching for furniture to steady yourself, Cutting Edge Physical Therapy can help identify what is affecting your balance and guide you toward a solution.
Balance disorders can affect people of every age and gender. Loss of balance is one of the most common disorders leading to falls in people over 65, but many causes of balance change can be addressed with physical therapy.
Balance deficits may be related to injuries; arthritis in the feet, knees, or hips; neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s or MS; nerve injuries from spine disorders or peripheral neuropathies; or fear that changes how a person moves and which activities they pursue.
One prevalent factor is the vestibular system. This system regulates how the brain receives information about movement and position. When it is impaired, it can make the brain feel as if you are moving when you are not—causing a feeling of falling or stumbling, dizziness, or blurred vision.
What Can Affect Your Balance?
Your body is an interconnected system. Injury or a chronic condition can disrupt how your senses interact with the environment and affect your ability to stay steady.
Static Balance
The ability to maintain an upright posture with the line of gravity inside your base of support—such as standing still.
Dynamic Balance
The ability to maintain stability while your base of support changes—during movement, walking, running, and everyday activities.
Vestibular Function
The vestibular system helps control your sense of position, stability, posture, and movement, both statically and dynamically.
A Thorough Evaluation Guides Your Care
Physical therapy is one of the most effective treatments for balance disorders. At your initial evaluation, our therapists thoroughly examine your static and dynamic balance, gait, posture, natural stance, and typical movement patterns. We also discuss your medical history, past and current injuries, and other symptoms.
A comprehensive clinical risk assessment may include:
- Review of fall history
- Examination of gait, balance, mobility, and muscle weakness
- Assessment of functional ability and fear of falling
- Assessment of visual impairment and the effects of corrective eyewear
- Home hazards and environment assessment
- Cardiovascular examination, including resting and active heart-rate checks
- Medication review
The findings help us get to the root of your concern and create a personalized plan based on proven techniques and your specific needs.
How Physical Therapy Helps
Our team identifies the factors influencing your balance and addresses them with an individualized combination of rehabilitation, exercise, and education.
Vestibular Rehabilitation
About 50% of dizziness is estimated to stem from a vestibular-system problem. Customized vestibular rehabilitation uses adaptation and compensation to help reprogram the system and restore stability.
Care may include specific head-positioning techniques, balance and coordination training, home programs, and patient education.
Strength & Mobility
Joint restrictions and muscle weakness can leave you unsteady on your feet. Your assessment identifies areas that need attention so you can build strength, improve mobility, move with more confidence, and reduce injury risk.
Your therapist may prescribe targeted stretches, strengthening, balance, and coordination exercises.
Daily Balance Training
We use daily balance training, including head turning through all three planes of movement, to train the vestibular system.
For older adults especially, focused balance training can help prevent falls and improve gait.
Vestibular Conditions We Consider
Vestibular dysfunction is often at the root of balance concerns. Conditions related to the vestibular system may include:
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
- Meniere’s disease
- Vestibular neuronitis
- Perilymph fistula
Our physical therapists work to identify the source of your symptoms and help you find practical solutions to improve stability and quality of life.
Ready to Get Back on Your Feet?
Cutting Edge Physical Therapy can provide the right treatment plan for your needs so you can move through life more comfortably and decrease the risk of a balance-related injury.