Balance is a big deal in our everyday world, but we take it for granted. Just think how long it took you to master walking, running, and jumping as a child. Your balance system is incredibly complex, and allows you to walk around over steps, and obstacles without thinking. However, when balance is affected, it can be difficult to perform daily tasks and activities you enjoy.
N E W S L E T T E R Y O U R H E A L T H I S O U R P R I O R I T Y
E M P O W E R P H Y S I C A L T H E R A P Y
SEPTEMBER 2020
HOW’S YOUR BALANCE?
ALSO INSIDE: • Live a Happier & Healthier Life with Physical Therapy! • Maintaining Results • Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan • Exercise Essential
EMPOWERALASKA.COM
N E W S L E T T E R Y O U R H E A L T H I S O U R P R I O R I T Y
E M P O W E R P H Y S I C A L T H E R A P Y
SEPTEMBER 2020
EMPOWERALASKA.COM
How’s Your Balance? Live a Happier & Healthier Life with Physical Therapy!
Balance is a big deal in our everyday world, but we take it for granted. Just think how long it took you to master walking, running, and jumping as a child. Your balance system is incredibly complex, and allows you to walk around over steps, and obstacles without thinking. However, when balance is affected, it can be difficult to perform daily tasks and activities you enjoy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Thirty million older adults fall each year—resulting in about 30,000 deaths. Each year, 3 million older adults are treated for a fall injury. One out of every five falls causes a serious injury, such as broken bones or a head injury.” Dizziness and vertigo are common reasons why someone may experience issues with balance or sustain an unexpected fall. We’ve all had the sensation of being dizzy - as if you can’t focus, can’t see straight, can’t stand upright without swaying or falling. You may even experience “tunnel vision,” where your peripheral vision goes dark for a few seconds.
head cold or the flu. Dizziness can also occur from something as simple as standing up too quickly after an extended period of rest. Some accompanying symptoms to dizziness may include: • Loss of balance • Lightheadedness or heavy-headedness • Momentarily impaired vision (i.e. tunnel vision) • Feeling woozy or faint The causes of vertigo aren’t nearly as vast. In fact, vertigo is most commonly caused by an imbalance in the inner ear, also known as the “vestibular system.” Your vestibular systemhelps you maintain your balance and center of gravity by sending messages to your brain regarding your movement. For more information about how Empower Physical Therapy can help you, call us today!
Dizziness is common and can have many causes. Vertigo, however, is a little different. While dizziness is typically synonymous with “lightheadedness,” which creates the illusion of being unsteady, vertigo is typically a response to a physiological factor that is causing a quite literal imbalance in your body. Those experiencing vertigo have reported feeling as if they are “rocking” or “spinning,” even when they are sitting still. Physical therapy for dizziness and vertigo is a common and effective course of treatment. For inquiries regarding vertigo testing, don’t hesitate to contact Empower Physical Therapy. If you’ve been feeling dizzy, or you think you may have some of the symptoms of vertigo, call our office today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced physical therapists. WHY IS MY BALANCE COMPROMISED BY DIZZINESS AND/OR VERTIGO? Just a few of the many factors that can lead to dizziness include lack of sleep, poor nutrition, overexertion, or a physical ailment, such as a
GRILLED ZUCCHINI WITH PARMESAN INGREDIENTS • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
One of the most common concerns in patients with dizziness and vertigo who complete a vestibular rehabilitation program is, “Will my results last?” Research suggests that, with the proper post-therapy exercise, patients who successfully complete vestibular rehab will maintain their positive results long after leaving a physical therapist’s office. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The aim of vestibular rehab is to improve function and balance while reducing dizziness. This is especially important in older patients who already bear a higher risk of falls as a result of age-related neuropathy, vestibular dysfunction and a host of other conditions. As a result, those who have experienced a positive outcome as a result of vestibular rehab are often reluctant to leave the care of clinicians. To assuage this anxiety and extend the outcome of rehab, physical therapists will often prescribe a home-based exercise program that reinforces therapeutic processes. THE MODE DOESN’T MATTER In a study published in Rehabilitation Research and Practice, elderly patients who completed vestibular rehabilitation were randomly assigned a print-based exercise program or a computer-based exercise program to determine which mode helped patients preserve function, reduced dizziness and improved the patient’s quality of life. Patient compliance was equivalent in both modes and patients achieved no noticeable differences in outcomes. What researchers did observe was that an at- home exercise program is vital to the patient’s quality of life three months after being discharged from the hospital or other therapeutic setting. PATIENT OUTCOMES DON’T IMPROVE ON THEIR OWN Bottom line, patients who are experiencing dizziness and vertigo will not experience improvement without intervention. This is especially true in elderly patients whose functional outcomes are vital to their quality of life. Vestibular rehabilitation as performed by a physical therapist is the most effective way of providing these outcomes and a home-based exercise program upon release from physical therapy is the best way to maintain them over time. Source: Smaerup, Michael, et al. “The Use of Computer-Assisted Home Exercises to Preserve Physical Function after a Vestibular Rehabilitation Program: A Randomized Controlled Study.” Rehabilitation research and practice 2016 (2016) MAINTAINING RESULTS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER VEST IBULAR REHABI L I TAT ION?
BALANCE AWARENESS WEEK SEPTEMBER 13TH -19TH The Vestibular Disorders Association began Balance Awareness Week to highlight just how much of an impact inner ear and brain disorders can have on an individual’s daily life. Patients who suffer from balance issues associated with vestibular disorders often experience chronic physical, mental, and emotional pain. Examples include intense dizziness, ringing of the ear, vertigo, and even depression. During the week of September 13-19 make it a point to familiarize yourself with the many issues that Balance Awareness Week tackles. • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste • ½ cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated ( ½ cup) • 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed • 1 teaspoon lemon zest • ¼ teaspoon salt • 2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise • Lemon wedges for serving DIRECTIONS Combine oil, garlic and crushed red pepper in a small skillet over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is softened and light golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in panko, Parmesan, thyme, lemon zest and salt. Preheat grill to very high (at least 500°F). Oil the grill grates, using tongs to hold an oil-soaked paper towel. Place zucchini, cut-sides down, on the oiled grates; grill, uncovered, until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Flip the zucchini so they are cut-side up; spoon the panko mixture evenly on top. Grill, covered, until the topping is golden brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully transfer to a serving platter. Serve with lemon wedges.
WHAT ’S CAUSING YOUR BALANCE ISSUE? When your vestibular system is impaired, the necessary messages become blocked from your brain, and your movement becomes affected. You may feel as if the world is spinning around you, you can’t focus your vision for prolonged periods of time, or you can’t stand/move properly without feeling like you’ll topple over. Some common causes of vertigo include:
“I have experienced some of the best PT therapists so far In trying to get my knees to work properly. The sessions have given me the ability to do the exercises at home. The therapists have all been very cheerful, experienced andmake you feel like trying harder to to accomplish the set goals. Justin,Emma and Ryan were very professional and wonderful.” - Jeannette J. “The sessions have given me the ability to do the exercises at home.” WHAT OUR PATIENTS SAY SUCCESS STORY HOW WILL PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP? Dizziness and vertigo can both hinder your balance, limiting your ability to perform even the simplest of tasks. Luckily, no matter what the cause may be, physical therapy for dizziness and vertigo can help. Empower Physical Therapy has some of the most advanced techniques for diagnosing and treating both dizziness and vertigo, including vestibular rehabilitation and videonystagmography. Vestibular rehabilitation includes treatments such as the Epley maneuver, which allows for canalith repositioning to move the broken calcium crystals in patients experiencing BPPV, as well as Cawthorne head exercises, which focus on decreasing nerve sensitivity and improving vertigo. Videonystagmography is a highly specialized diagnostic tool for testing inner ear functions. This test determines whether your dizziness or vertigo is being caused by a vestibular disease, and it is the only test available that can decipher whether there is a vestibular loss in one or both ears. It is a non-invasive test that uses infrared goggles to record a patient’s eye movements, thus determining how well the patient is able to react to visual stimuli responses that are being sent from the vestibular system. Physical therapy is very important to strengthening joints and learning the right exercises to relieve dizziness and vertigo, in order to improve balance. A professional can help you develop a program that plays into your strengths while increasing your ability to balance and reduce bouts of unsteadiness. Contact Empower Physical Therapy today to get started! For more information about how Empower Physical Therapy can help you call us today!
• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). This is themost common cause of vertigo. It occurs when the tiny calcium crystals located in your ears break apart and move around to different parts of the ear that they are not supposed to be in. This can cause sudden spinning sensations (vertigo) and inner-ear discomfort. • Meniere’s disease. This occurs when fluid builds up in your ear(s). This typically includes “ringing” sounds in the inner-ear and sudden waves of vertigo that may last for hours. You may also experience momentary hearing losses. • Vestibular neuritis. This is an inner-ear infection that can cause vertigo. • Migraines. Migraines can impact your vestibular system, thus causing episodes of vertigo which may be coupled with sensitivities to light or sound. Vision may also be impaired. • Stroke. A stroke affects movement in your whole body. If you recently suffered a stroke, you may experience waves of vertigo which may linger for extended periods of time. Some accompanying symptoms to vertigo may also include: • Inability to focus or remain alert. • Double vision. • Nausea or vomiting. • Arm or leg weakness. • Difficulty seeing or speaking. • Sweating. • Abnormal eye movements.
EXERCISE ESSENTIAL TRY THIS EXERCISE TO HELP YOUR BALANCE
HIP ADDUCTOR STRETCH Begin in the side lunge position as shown. Your leg should be out to the side and slightly behind you, both feet flat on the floor. Keeping your back straight, lunge deeper to the side until you feel a stretch along the inside of your leg. Hold for 3-6 seconds. Repeat 3 times on each side.
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