Pensacola Chiropractic Tip: Practice Balance Every Day !

“I’m just not as steady as I used to be.”

This isn’t an uncommon conversation starter at Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center from our Pensacola chiropractic patients and/or their loved ones. Balance is vital to avert falls and associated problems that may come with it…like breaking something! Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center offers some news regarding fall prevention and balance improvement with spinal manipulation and balance practice.

BALANCE AND AGING

The 50s bring some noticeable changes particularly in relation to balance. Such changes in balance also boost the risk for falling and other health concerns. A study of 1702 people between 51 and 75 years of age who did not experience any problems with walking found that 20.4% could not do a 10 second one-legged-stand which tended to intensify the risk of all-cause mortality. (1) Not being able to do the 10 second balance test was associated with an 84% greater risk of dying within in the study period (12 years). This observational study did not declare cause/effect but suggested a connection, a link that may insire middle and older age folks to practice standing on one leg every day! To be safe, Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center recommends standing near to a tall chair to catch yourself if necessary. If you can only do 2 seconds today, keep working on it. you will improve as you practice! (2) Once you see some improvement, you will keep practicing! Proprioception exercises may help, too!

MORE ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRACTICE BALANCE

A research project compared how known “fallers,” “nonfallers,” and young volunteers performed on a force plate measuring test for postural sway. None were different in weight transfer. Younger ones reduced postural sway within 2 seconds while older ones never did and swayed the same the whole time. Older “fallers” swayed significantly more. This specially designed one-leg-stance test determined the “fallers” 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 Pensacola chiropractor in evaluating baseline balance.

ROLE OF CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATION IN MOVEMENT CONTROL

A recently 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 reducing postural sway and entropy (forward/backward movement) as measured on a force plate.  (4) That is so good! Between our in-office chiropractic treatments with Cox® Technic in the office and your practicing standing on one foot then the other at home, we will realize how well we can improve your balance!

CONTACT Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center

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.

Schedule your Pensacola chiropractic appointment soon. We look forward to hearing how much better balanced you feel!