Vancouver Chiropractic Tip: Practice Balance Every Day !
“I’m just not as steady as I used to be.”
This isn’t an unusual conversation starter at Vancouver Disc Centers from our Vancouver chiropractic patients and/or their family members. Balance is crucial to prevent falls and related problems that may come with a fall…like breaking something! Vancouver Disc Centers presents some news about fall prevention and balance enhancement 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 increase the risk for falling and other health concerns. A report of 1702 people between 51 and 75 years old who did not experience any problems with walking found that 20.4% couldn’t perform a 10 second one-legged-stand which tended to increase the risk of all-cause mortality. (1) Failing the 10 second balance test was related to an 84% greater risk of dying within in the study time (12 yrs). This observational study didn’t declare cause/effect but suggested a link, a link that may encourage middle and older age folks to practice standing on one leg daily! To be safe, Vancouver Disc Centers recommends standing next a tall chair to catch yourself if necessary. If today only 3 seconds are possible, keep working on it. You’ll 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 study compared how known “fallers,” “nonfallers,” and young volunteers did on a force plate measuring test for postural sway. None differed in weight transfer. Younger ones decreased postural sway within 2 seconds while older ones never did and swayed the same the whole time. Older “fallers” swayed significantly more. This specially made one-leg-stance test established who the “fallers” were better – 100% - than other more common tests 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 quite helpful to your Vancouver chiropractor in determining baseline balance.
ROLE OF CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATION IN MOVEMENT CONTROL
A newly published paper described the usefulness of (Cox®) flexion distraction spinal manipulation for lumbar spinal stenosis patients by enhancing their balance test scores - Timed Up and Go and Five Times Sit to Stand Test – and decreasing 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 see how well we can improve your balance!
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
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.
Make your Vancouver chiropractic appointment soon. We look forward to hearing how much better balanced you are!
