Five Simple Tips for Improving Your Balance

November 2024 Newsletter

Avoid Falls and Stay on Your Feet – With a Little Help from Physical Therapy

Are you worried about falling and injuring yourself? Does limited mobility due to arthritis or another condition make you feel shaky? Balance challenges can certainly be difficult, but you do have options for improving your overall balance and stability!

One of the things we do at Empower Physical Therapy is helping people work on the spatial awareness and muscular strength crucial in addressing balance challenges. This is especially true for people with a high risk of falling, where improved balance could save you a trip to the hospital.

Want to learn more about the importance of good balance? Call to schedule an appointment today.

How Can I Improve My Balance? Five Suggestions from Our Physical Therapists

1. Go for a Walk: Sometimes, the best solutions are the simplest. Walking helps build core and lower-body strength, two crucial components of good balance, and it’s safe and effective for most people. That said, if you’re struggling with balance, it’s important to speak to your physical therapist first–you might benefit from initial balance training or using a mobility aid during your walks.
   
2. Restore Your Mobility: Stiff or arthritic joints can negatively impact your balance. Our physical therapists can teach you how to restore or improve your mobility and guide you on a safe routine you can perform at home that targets your individual needs. 
   
3. Target Your Core: If you’re really struggling with balance and instability, it may be time to focus on dedicated core exercises. Your core refers to the muscles that wrap around your spine – your back, hip, glute, and ab muscles. They keep your spine stabilized, which in turn helps you keep your balance. Not sure where to start with core strengthening? Our physical therapists can show you which exercises will work best for you.
   
4. Challenge Your Balance: As with any other aspect of fitness, spending time on dedicated balance training can help you see results. Your goal is to find exercises that challenge your sense of balance without putting you at risk of falling – again, this is something our PTs can help with. 
   
5. Assess Your Balance: If you want to get serious about improving your balance, schedule an appointment at Empower Physical Therapy to have your balance assessed by one of our experts. We’ll run several balance screens to help us pinpoint the exact reason for your balance challenges–it may even be something you didn’t expect, such as inner ear issues. With a balance assessment, we can help you target your treatment to suit your exact needs.

Afraid You’ll Lose Your Footing? We’ve Got Your Back

The physical therapists at Empower Physical Therapy specialize in movement and exercise. If you visit us for a balance assessment, we can design a customized treatment program that addresses your needs and abilities. For example…

• Dealing with persistent pain that makes walking difficult? We can guide you through a drug-free pain management program.
  
• Find most core exercises impossible? You’re not alone. Although activities like core planks have significant benefits, many beginners need to build up to them. We’ll show you core exercises that you can actually perform.
  
• Not sure how to challenge your balance? We’ll guide you through a progress balance training program, measuring your progress and increasing intensity as you go.

5 Simple Tips For Shoveling Snow

Snow shoveling can lead to a number of health risks for many people, from back injuries to heart attacks. The following tips can help keep you safer when you set out to shovel:

1. Warm up.

• Warm your muscles before heading out to shovel by doing some light movements, such as bending side to side or walking in place.
  

2. Push rather than lift.

• Pushing the snow with the shovel instead of lifting can help reduce the strain on your body. 
  

3. Lighten your load.

• Consider using a lighter-weight plastic shovel instead of a metal one to help decrease the weight being lifted.
  

4. Consider multiple trips.

• Consider shoveling periodically throughout the storm to avoid having to move large amounts of snow at once.
  

5. Keep up with snowfall.

• Try to shovel snow shortly after it falls, when it is lighter and fluffier. The longer snow stays on the ground, the wetter it can become. Wet snow is heavier and harder to move.
  

Quick & Easy Healthy Recipe

Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and let cool. (Reserve the drippings in the pan.) Combine cauliflower, pepper, salt and the bacon drippings in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Roast, stirring twice, until tender, about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup cheese, 2/3 cup sour cream and half the scallions in a small bowl. When the cauliflower is tender, stir the cheese mixture into the cauliflower in the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake until hot, 5 to 7 minutes more. Chop the cooled bacon. Sprinkle the hot casserole with the bacon and the remaining scallions.

https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/269135/loaded-cauliflower-casserole/