Balancing Act: How Physical Therapy Can Help

We often think of going to physical therapy to get stronger, but did you know we can help tremendously improve your balance? Good balance is key to staying active and preventing falls and injury.

Collectively, we balance by using our eyesight, senses in our inner ear, and joints, giving feedback to our brain. If any one of these systems is compromised, so is our balance. A physical therapist can perform several activities with you to determine which systems need to be “strengthened” to improve balance.

For example, a person may lose their balance when walking down the hall at night or have difficulty walking up a hill because they feel they will fall backward. These clues alert your therapist to perform balance testing with eyes closed or to test ankle motion and strength, which may make it difficult to keep balance in the activities mentioned above.

Balance can be improved with exercise, such as strengthening muscles by practicing the positions that make you unsteady. This is where your physical therapist plays a key role: guiding you with exercises that challenge your balance to improve your function and keep you safe.

At Intermountain Health Whitehall Physical Therapy, we are committed to helping you live your best life. If you notice yourself avoiding places or events because of fear of falling, or you have just noticed catching yourself more often than you would like when out with your family/friends or gardening, we can help!

Call us to make an appointment today. We can be reached at (406) 723-2980 Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 5 PM.