Balance Therapy
Balance Therapy
At FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers of Oakton, we Fight the Falls. Balance isn’t just in our name it is at the core of why we exist. Physical Therapy for falls prevention has been solely focused on the musculoskeletal system far too long.
Our Oakton Physical Therapists at FYZICAL go beyond standard Physical Therapy to specialize in Balance Rehabilitation. All Physical Therapists know how to treat your musculoskeletal concerns (like pain or weakness), but our Physical Therapists have undergone advanced training to identify deficits in your “ balance system,” and to do it with the respect and understanding you deserve.
Balance Rehabilitation takes the next step of vestibular rehabilitation to examine the 3 sensory aspects of balance. Vestibular rehabilitation is a large part of balance rehabilitation, but balance rehabilitation incorporates the visual and somatosensory systems, as well as your muscle strength to keep you upright and prevent you from falling.
Your Balance System
Your Balance System is really made up of three sensory systems that help your body recognize when you are upright and when you are moving.
- Vestibular System
- Visual System
- Somatosensory System
Balance Rehabilitation Physical Therapy really comes from the growth of Vestibular Rehabilitation and Vestibular Physical Therapy. As part of his long career in Vestibular Rehabilitation, Brian Werner, PT, MPT (National Director of Balance), and others have recognized that balance deficits like those observed with vertigo are not always addressed by examining just the vestibular system. In order to properly address balance deficits, the musculoskeletal system, the vestibular system, the visual system, and the somatosensory system must all be working optimally together.
Physical Therapists who overlook even one component of the musculoskeletal system or “balance system” cannot treat the underlying deficits needed for optimal functioning.
Physical Therapists who overlook even one component of the musculoskeletal system or “balance system” cannot treat the underlying deficits needed for optimal functioning.
Ready to Balance Your Life Again?
With our dedicated team of physical therapists behind you, you’ll regain confidence in navigating challenging terrain and learning how to avoid dizzy spells. You may even be able to leave that cane or walker behind!
What do Balance Rehab therapists treat?
Our Balance Rehabilitation Physical Therapists are experts in treating musculoskeletal concerns, but they are specially trained to identify and differentiate between vestibular, visual, and somatosensory deficits. We treat balance in three primary areas:
Vestibular Rehabilitation: There are certain conditions that are truly vestibular, but for many patients who have vestibular dysfunction, there are other underlying sensory imbalances. These patients need to have their vestibular deficits addressed and then also have their other underlying sensory deficits tested. Some of the vestibular rehabilitation conditions we treat at FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers of Oakton include:
- Vertigo
- BPPV - Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
- MdDs - Mal de Debarquement
- Meniere's Disease
- Labyrinthitis
- Vestibular Neuritis
- Vestibular Concussion
Dizziness, Balance, and Falls Risk: When it comes to treating dizzy patients, not all cases are the same. Dizziness is not the same for everyone and different types of dizziness will lead to different treatments, but your physical therapist has to know the difference and has to know how to tease your dizziness apart.
- 5 Types of Dizziness (Motion Sickness, Lightheadedness, Disequilibrium, Behavioral Dizziness, Vertigo)
- Fall Risk Due to Age
- Fall Risk Due to Disability
- Fall Risk Due to Injury
Neurologic Impairment: A variety of neurologic impairments can lead to challenges of the musculoskeletal system, but they may also have other underlying deficits of the vestibular, visual, or somatosensory systems.
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson's Disease
- Acoustic Neuroma
- Stroke
What are the benefits of balance and gait training?
Balance and gait are inextricably linked because they tend to impact one another. Even if you don’t think you’re in danger of falling over, that “running out of steam” while walking that you’re attributing to aging muscles could be something else. The problem might actually be slowing reflexes, which make moving around seem more strenuous than it is. By the same token, poor posture and gait can throw off those reflexes.
In fact, the balance and gait systems both rely to some extent on a complex number of body systems that include the inner ear, the eyes, the joint-muscle-nerve system, and of course cognitive functions. Therapy that improves gait and balance works with all of these systems to keep them functioning in harmony.
In fact, the balance and gait systems both rely to some extent on a complex number of body systems that include the inner ear, the eyes, the joint-muscle-nerve system, and of course cognitive functions. Therapy that improves gait and balance works with all of these systems to keep them functioning in harmony.
Gait and balance training has a range of benefits, with avoiding injuries being at the top of the list. Beyond lessening your chances of falling or feeling dizzy, you’re also more likely to feel confident with your footing. In addition, those aches and pains from poor posture are likely to decrease as well.