Fort Wayne Chiropractic Tip: Practice Balance Every Day !
“I’m just not as steady as I once was.”
This is not an uncommon conversation starter at Aaron Chiropractic Clinic from our Fort Wayne chiropractic patients and/or their loved ones. Balance is crucial to prevent falls and related problems that may come with a fall…like breaking something! Aaron Chiropractic Clinic offers some news regarding fall prevention and balance enhancement with spinal manipulation and balance practice.
BALANCE AND AGING
The 50s bring some noticeable changes particularly in terms of balance. Such changes in balance also increase the risk for falling and other health concerns. A report of 1702 people between 51 and 75 years old who didn't have any issues with walking found that 20.4% could not do a 10 second one-legged-stand which managed to increase the risk of all-cause mortality. (1) Not being able to do the 10 second balance test was associated with an 84% higher risk of dying within in the study period (12 years). This observational study didn’t state cause/effect but suggested a connection, a link that may encourage middle and older age folks to practice standing on one leg daily! To be safe, Aaron Chiropractic Clinic recommends standing near to a tall chair to stabilize yourself if necessary. If today only 3 seconds are possible, keep practicing. You’ll improve as you practice! (2) Once you see some improvement, you’ll want to do more! Proprioception exercises may help, too!
MORE ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRACTICE BALANCE
A study compared how known “fallers,” “nonfallers,” and young volunteers did on a force plate measuring test for postural sway. None were different in weight transfer. Younger ones decreased postural sway within 2 seconds while older ones never did and swayed the same the whole time. Older “fallers” swayed significantly more. This specially made one-leg-stance test established who the “fallers” were better – 100% - than other more common ways to measure balance – five-times-sit-to-stand (69%), timed-up-and-go (48%), usual one-leg-stance without special parameters as in this research study (62%). (3) Tests like these are beneficial to your Fort Wayne chiropractor in determining baseline balance.
ROLE OF CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATION IN MOVEMENT CONTROL
A newly published paper described the benefit of (Cox®) flexion distraction spinal manipulation for lumbar spinal stenosis patients by improving their balance test scores - Timed Up and Go and Five Times Sit to Stand Test – and decreasing postural sway and entropy (forward/backward movement) as assessed on a force plate. (4) That is so good! Between our in-office chiropractic treatments with Cox® Technic during office visits and in exercise sessions of practicing standing on one foot then the other at home, we will see how well we can improve your balance!
CONTACT Aaron Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Nate McKee on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates relieving chiropractic care and re-establishing balance via The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for patients with spinal stenosis.
Make your Fort Wayne chiropractic appointment now. We look forward to seeing how much steadier you feel!
