By Aleisha Theisen, PTA and NBC-HWC
If you’ve ever sprained an ankle or injured your knee, you no doubt quickly realized something we often take for granted: Our ankles and knees play a key role in maintaining balance and stability.
A 2024 cross-sectional study found a connection between knee osteoarthritis and lower balance confidence. This makes sense considering how these joints work in concert with the hips and core muscles to keep the body upright and steady.
The complexity of the knees and ankles, with their multiple ligaments, tendons, and muscles, allows for a wide range of motion while also providing stability. Any change in their function can thus affect our balance.
The ankle joint is particularly important for balance as it's the primary point of contact between the body and the ground. It acts as a sensor, constantly providing feedback about the body's position in space. This information is crucial for making quick adjustments to maintain balance, especially on uneven surfaces or during unexpected disruptions caused by the environment around you — a slippery floor, a child darting in front of you, someone bumping into you in a crowded store.
Similarly, the knee joint, a complex hinge joint, plays a vital role in balance by allowing bending and straightening of the leg. The quadriceps and hamstring muscles surrounding the knee work together to stabilize the joint and control movement.
When patients experience problems with their ankles or knees, such as arthritis pain, ligament injuries, or muscle weakness, their balance can be compromised. This is where physical therapists come in: They are experts at rehabilitation and improving balance.
Our PTs at FYZICAL-Forest Grove employ a variety of techniques to help patients with knee and ankle problems get their balance back on track:
- Joint Mobilization: Gentle manual therapy techniques can help improve joint mobility, reducing stiffness and pain that may be limiting a patient's ability to balance effectively.
- Strength Training: Exercises targeting the muscles around the ankles and knees can improve joint stability. For example, calf raises for ankle strength or squats for knee strength can be tailored to the patient's ability level. For patients with arthritis pain, our physical therapists often start with gentle range of motion exercises and progress slowly to avoid exacerbating pain.
- Proprioception Training: Exercises that challenge the body's sense of position in space can help improve balance reactions. This might include standing on one leg, using balance boards or other wobbly surfaces, or performing exercises with your eyes closed.
- Functional Training: Incorporating everyday movements into therapy sessions helps patients translate their improved strength and stability into real-world situations. For example, your PT might have you carry a cup of water and walk over an uneven surface to simulate being at a BBQ in someone's uneven backyard.
- Gait Training: Therapists may work with patients on improving walking patterns, which can enhance overall balance and reduce the risk of falls. Our clinic is unique in that we have a Solo Step Overhead Track System. When using this innovative tool, patients wear a safety harness connected to a secure overhead support system. The PT can then safely guide them through obstacles, across uneven surfaces, over hurdles and numerous other balance challenges, with the patient feeling confident to try activities they might not otherwise be able to without the track system.
- Assistive Device Training: When necessary, our PTs will teach patients how to properly use canes or walkers to support their balance while working towards improved independent function.
In addition to detecting joint-related balance problems, our PTs can determine if a vestibular dysfunction is contributing to an individual’s unsteadiness. We have specific protocols to test for vestibular weaknesses and effective methods of treating them, including vestibular rehabilitation.
As you can see, our PTs have a large set of tools and skills they can incorporate into treatment sessions to improve balance in patients with knee and ankle problems.
Fight the Fall
Stay tuned for FYZICAL’s Fight the Fall campaign in September. We offer balance screenings as part of this fall-prevention awareness effort. More than one in four Americans ages 65 and older — 29% of older adults — fall each year. While we all have the occasional stumble, a fall can be increasingly harmful as we get older. Often, falls can be prevented, but early intervention is key. If you or someone you know has noticed changes in balance, this will be a great opportunity to get assessed by a professional. You can also schedule a physical therapy evaluation at FYZICAL-Forest Grove by calling 503-357-1706.
Aleisha Theisen is a physical therapist assistant and a board-certified health and wellness coach.
Disclaimer: This blog is provided for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Sources:
“Balance confidence and associated factors among patients with knee osteoarthritis.” John et al. May 08, 2024. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.05.009
“Facts About Falls,” CDC.gov. May 9, 2024. Retrieved Aug. 7, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/facts-stats/index.html