Feeling unsteady when walking? Less confident on stairs? Struggling to stand on one leg or worried about falls?
Changes in balance can affect your confidence, independence and ability to stay active. The good news is that
balance can be assessed and, in many cases, improved with physiotherapy.
At
Action Physiotherapy in Cooks Hill, Newcastle, our physiotherapists can assess your balance, strength and movement to identify factors that may be contributing to unsteadiness and develop an individualised rehabilitation program.
What Is Balance?
Balance is your body's ability to maintain control and stability while standing still or moving.
Your brain constantly receives information from several systems to help keep you balanced:
- Your eyes provide information about your surroundings and your body's position.
- Your inner ear (vestibular system) helps detect movement and orientation.
- Your muscles and joints provide information about where your body is positioned in space.
- Your brain and nervous system process this information and coordinate an appropriate response.
Good balance relies on these systems working together effectively.
Your balance is challenged throughout everyday life — when walking on uneven ground, turning quickly, getting out of a chair, stepping over an obstacle, using stairs or reaching for something.
Why Is Good Balance Important?
Good balance is about much more than simply preventing falls. It helps us move safely and confidently throughout everyday life.
Balance is important for:
- Walking and changing direction
- Getting in and out of a chair or bed
- Going up and down stairs
- Getting in and out of the shower
- Walking on uneven surfaces
- Reaching, bending and lifting
- Participating in sport and exercise
- Moving confidently around the home and community
When balance becomes impaired, people may start avoiding activities because they don't feel confident or safe.
Over time, reduced activity can contribute to
loss of strength, reduced fitness, decreased confidence and an increased risk of falls.
What Can Cause Balance Problems?
Balance problems can occur for many different reasons. Some people notice gradual changes as they get older, while others develop difficulties following an injury, illness or medical condition.
Factors that may contribute to poor balance include reduced leg strength, joint stiffness, changes in sensation or proprioception, vestibular or inner-ear problems, reduced vision, neurological conditions, pain, reduced physical activity or a combination of several factors.
Importantly,
poor balance should not automatically be considered a normal part of ageing.
If you have noticed that you are becoming increasingly unsteady, have experienced a fall or near-fall, or no longer feel confident doing activities you previously managed comfortably, a physiotherapy balance assessment may help identify why.
How Can Physiotherapy Help Improve Balance?
At
Action Physiotherapy Newcastle, a physiotherapist can assess the different physical factors contributing to your balance.
Depending on your individual presentation, your assessment may look at:
- Standing and walking balance
- Lower-limb strength
- Coordination
- Joint mobility
- Proprioception and body awareness
- Walking and changing direction
- Getting up and down from a chair
- Single-leg balance
- Functional tasks such as stairs
- Your confidence with movement
Once we understand where your difficulties are occurring, we can develop an
individualised balance and strengthening program.
Rather than simply practising standing on one leg, rehabilitation may involve improving leg strength, reaction time, coordination, walking ability and confidence while gradually making balance exercises more challenging.
Your physiotherapist may also provide advice about
falls prevention and your home environment where appropriate.
Objective Balance Testing With VALD ForceDecks
At
Action Physiotherapy in Cooks Hill, we also use
VALD ForceDecks force plate technology to objectively assess aspects of balance and physical performance.
ForceDecks can measure how your weight is distributed and how your
centre of pressure moves while performing different standing and balance tasks.
This provides objective information that may identify differences that aren't always obvious from observation alone.
Importantly, ForceDecks can also help us
track your progress over time.
Instead of relying only on how you feel, we can repeat selected measurements during your rehabilitation to see whether your balance and physical performance are improving.
Worried About Your Balance?
If you have noticed yourself becoming more unsteady, have had a fall or near-fall, or simply don't feel as confident walking and moving as you used to, it may be worth having your balance assessed.
At
Action Physiotherapy in Cooks Hill, Newcastle, we can assess your balance, strength and movement and develop a rehabilitation program based on your individual needs.
Our goal is not simply to improve a balance test — it is to help you
move more confidently, stay active and maintain your independence.
Looking for a balance assessment or physiotherapy in Newcastle? Contact Action Physiotherapy in Cooks Hill to book an assessment with one of our physiotherapists.
