An important offering we have is our balance physical therapy assessment. Our balance physical therapy assessment is a multi-faceted combination of bodily functions that keep us up right and moving forward. These are; balance sense, balance reaction and balance confidence.

Balance sense is one of those things we all take for granted until we begin to have issues or injury. It is comprised of three bodily systems that all work in unison to alert us when we need to react to keep our balance and prevent from falling. The first system is our Vestibular system; an intricate arrangement of fluid filled canals within both of our inner ears. They help regulate eye movement in coordination with head movement as well as sense up/down and forward/back movement. Anyone who has suffered a vertigo episode knows what it feels like when our Vestibular system is malfunctioning. The second system is our Somatosensory system; a fancy way of saying the specialized nerve endings in our skin, joints and muscles. These combine to tell the brain if we’re putting more pressure through the toes of our left foot vs right foot or more weight through our left knee vs right knee, indicating that we may be leaning to the left. Lastly, our visual system, regulated by the brain confirms all input from the other two systems and helps us make unconscious nanosecond decision to adjust postural muscles to prevent us from falling.

Balance reaction is our ability to react and respond as necessary to shifts of weight and losses of balance or even protecting ourselves as we fall. Our reactions include our reflexes, coordination and strength not only of our extremities but also of our postural muscles. Reacting to a disturbance of our balance equilibrium can be as simple is our calf muscles helping us lean back a bit at the ankle to not fall forward but can also include us getting our hands out in-front of us to protect our head when we are falling. Balance reactions can only work appropriately if we are properly recognizing losses of balance with our balance sense.

Lastly, and often understated, especially as we get older, is our balance confidence. This is what we think we can and cannot do in-terms of mobility. How confident are you that you can climb on to that step-stool to reach for that kitchen utensil way back on the top self of that cabinet? Often times after a traumatic fall or injury we lose confidence in our abilities and therefore self-limit our selves which in turn hampers those abilities because we are not performing those movements or actions. Its futile to have optimal balance sense and perfect balance reactions if you are not confident in our abilities because you will limit yourself and your abilities.

Healing Therapeutics utilizes state of the art evaluative techniques and technology that allows us to isolate the three balance sense systems to recognize deficits that can be addressed with specialized activities and exercises. These activities and exercises promote not only balance sense but also balance reactions. Performing these under the supervision of trained clinician that can push your limits while still ensuring your safety can improve you balance confidence and unlock hidden potential to your functional and mobility.

Contact us today so we can schedule a balance physical therapy assessment in Port Chester, NY for you or for someone you are caring for.