5 Exercises to Improve Balance FIND YOUR BALANCE Though we may not always think about it, balance is essential to just about everything we do in our daily routines. From simply getting out of bed, leaning over to tie our shoes, or even walking to the mailbox, we need good balance to keep ourselves steady while performing normal tasks. KNOW WHY BALANCE IS IMPORTANT. Balance is the ability to control your body’s position, whether stationary or moving. It is a key component of fitness that many people neglect while developing their fitness regimen. Balance training is a great way to help your body recognize where it is and control movements in a given space. When the body knows where its limbs are in space — known as proprioception — it is able to produce smooth, controlled movements with fewer risks of injuries. Reaction time and agility are also improved with balance training. The body learns how to quickly correct itself but not overcompensate and has the ability to quickly change direction effectively and efficiently. Though balance training is important for everyone, it is especially important for those who have problems due to illness, weakness, or dizziness. It allows them to overcome stiffness or unsteadiness and to develop an awareness of body segments and how to align them.
THESE EXERCISES HELP WITH BALANCE. Balance training involves exercises to strengthen the muscles that help keep you upright and improve stability. These types of exercises can be done as often as you like or even every day.
Consider trying the following exercises:
• Standing with your weight on one leg and raising the other leg to the side or behind you. • Putting one heel right in front of the other foot, as if you were walking a tightrope. • Standing up and sitting down from a chair without using your hands. • Walking while alternating knee lifts with each step. • Stretching and gentle movement as part of yoga or tai chi. Balance is essential to living a healthy, functional life. It’s important to incorporate balance training into your fitness regimen. That way you can decrease the risk of injuries and help move freely and confidently.
Can Physical Therapy Help With Whiplash Symptoms?
experience whiplash after falling from a tall height, playing contact sports, or even riding a high-speed roller coaster. While many people associate neck pain as the main symptom of whiplash, there are various other symptoms that may appear hours or even days after the traumatic incident. You may notice that your range of motion for your neck and shoulders has decreased. You may also begin experiencing headaches that last longer and are more frequent as well as increases in fatigue and dizziness. While not as common, some people may also experience ringing in their ears, blurred vision, memory loss, and irritability. Whiplash often heals itself after a few weeks, but it’s possible to continue experiencing symptoms for months or even years. Thankfully, there are things we can do as physical therapists to help relieve some of the pain and discomfort stemming from a whiplash injury.
One of the best ways that we can reduce pain and restore range of motion throughout your neck and shoulders is with a deep tissue massage. We will apply pressure and friction to the affected area to release the tension in your ligaments, tendons, and muscles. You can also help relieve the symptoms by icing the area to reduce inflammation before alternating between ice and heat. Additionally, you can do some exercises to help relieve some of the symptoms. Each case of whiplash is different, so the exercises to relieve symptoms vary from case to case. It’s best to check with your physical therapist to determine which exercises could help you if you’re experiencing symptoms of whiplash. Whiplash can be severe, so if you’re struggling with whiplash symptoms, give us a call and we will do what we can to help.
www.campuscommonsphysicaltherapy.com 2 Every year, more than 2 million Americans experience whiplash, a neck injury that occurs when your head and neck forcefully move forward and backward. While it most commonly happens during a car accident, you can also
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