Plainville Chiropractic Tip: Practice Balance Every Day !

“I’m just not as steady as I once was.”

This is not an unusual conversation starter at Layden Chiropractic from our Plainville chiropractic patients and/or their family members. Balance is vital to prevent falls and associated problems that may come with it…like breaking something! Layden Chiropractic presents some news about fall prevention and balance enhancement with spinal manipulation and balance practice.

BALANCE AND AGING

The 50s bring some hard to ignore changes particularly in relation to balance. Such changes in balance also boost the risk for falling and other health concerns. A report of 1702 people between 51 and 75 years old who did not have any problems with walking found that 20.4% could not perform a 10 second one-legged-stand which tended to intensify the risk of all-cause mortality. (1) Not being able to do the 10 second balance test was associated with an 84% greater risk of dying within in the study time (12 yrs). This observational study didn’t state cause/effect but suggested a connection, a link that may insire middle and older age folks to practice standing on one leg daily! To be safe, Layden Chiropractic urges standing near to a counter to stabilize yourself if necessary. If today only 3 seconds are possible, keep working on it. You’ll do better as you practice! (2) Once you see some improvement, you’ll keep practicing! Proprioception exercises may help, too!

MORE ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRACTICE BALANCE

A research project 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 designed one-leg-stance test determined the “fallers” better – 100% - than other commonly used ways 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 Plainville chiropractor in determining baseline balance.

ROLE OF CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATION IN MOVEMENT CONTROL

A recently published paper noted the benefit 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 assessed 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 realize how well we can improve your balance!

CONTACT Layden Chiropractic

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 Plainville chiropractic appointment soon. We look forward to seeing how much steadier you are!