Welcome To the Balance And Motion Center
Overview of Balance and Vestibular DisordersWe have all experienced the uneasy and uncomfortable sensation of slipping and almost falling. The issue of poor balance and falls is a significant one in our society. One in four people over the age of 65 (who live at home) will fall during the next year. Once a person feels unsteady and has the perception they may fall, the human response is to reduce the level of function to avoid injury. People need to embrace the problem by getting proper testing of their balance systems, which then allows for accurate diagnosis.
How does the balance system work?
The ability that allows us to maintain our balance involves three main systems that must work together to allow for our function and quality of life to be maintained. These systems provide sensory information about our environment, the position of our body in space, and how our body is moving.
- Vision System -- The sensation of our position in space and information about our environment;
- Somatosensory System (Musculoskeletal)--Provides information about your body's position in space separate from your visual or vertibular input; and
- Vestibular system (located in the middle ear)--Provides information that helps the body maintain postural equilibrium and also allows for coordination of the head and the movement of the eyes.
If any one of these areas are injured, damaged by disease, altered by medication, or just weakened by time and poor habits (such as poor posture, or muscle de-conditioning) the system is weakened and the possibility of falling increases.
Have you experienced any of the following:
- Difficulty getting up from a chair or out of bed?
- Loss of balance while standing still?
- Numbness or loss of sensation in your legs?
- Trouble walking up or down inclined surfaces?
- More than one fall in the last year?
- Vision problems, such as double or blurred vision?
- A worsening of dizziness symptoms when you change positions?
What can we do about a balance problem?
If your function and mobility have decreased, and your quality of life is affected, you must first agree you have a problem and be willing to seek help.
Then, we can give you a comprehensive assessment of your balance systems in relation to how they respond to motion and muscle strength, and devise a plan to help you. Many balance and motion problems can often be the result of injury, disease, or your reaction to certain medications.
So don't blame the falls on old age...
Let Bayshore's Balance and Motion Center help with complete diagnostics and treatment in one convenient location. You can recover from balance disorders and regain control, even at an advanced age.
Call 1-800-632-6807 to schedule an appointment today.
