Physiotherapy for Balance Training and Fall Prevention

Falls and balance issues are common among individuals of all ages and can have a significant impact on quality of life. Falls are especially serious and common for people aged 65 and over. People who fall often experience pain, injury, distress, loss of confidence, loss of independence and some individuals may experience serious injury causing death.  

Falls are often treatment superficially without considering a range of contributing factors. At Best Home Therapy, we understand that a multifactorial falls assessment is required to provide individuals with a tailored and highly effective management plan. Our assessments consider the impacts of an individual’s:

·       Falls history including mechanism, associated factors and consequence

·       Cognitive impairments

·       Continence problems

·       Footwear and clothing

·       Health related comorbidities

·       Medication

·       Balance

·       Posture

·       Mobility and physical function

·       Vision

·       Pulmonary hypotension or syncope

·       Dizziness

·       Physical environment

What is Falls and Balance Retraining?

Falls and balance retraining is a specialised area of physiotherapy that focuses on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of balance and gait impairments. The goal is to help individuals regain their balance and reduce the risk of falls. Our physiotherapists use a variety of techniques to improve balance, such as exercise, balance training, and gait retraining. In addition, we will consider associated risk factors identified from the multifactorial assessment and tailor the treatment plan to reduce or eliminate other risks / hazards.

Physiotherapy Management for Falls and Balance Retraining

At Best Home Therapy, our experienced physiotherapists work with each individual to create a personalised treatment plan that meets their specific needs and goals. Our falls and balance retraining treatment plans may include the following:

1.     Exercise: Our physiotherapists provide exercises to improve strength, balance, co-ordination, and proprioception.

2.     Gait Retraining: Our physiotherapists provide gait retraining exercises to improve walking patterns and reduce the risk of falls.

3.     Assistive Devices: Our physiotherapists may recommend the use of assistive devices, such as canes or walkers, to improve balance and reduce the risk of falls.

4.     Education and Counselling: Our physiotherapists provide education and counselling on topics such as fall prevention, home safety, and maintaining independence.

5.     Functional movements: We identify suboptimal movement patterns and retrain accordingly. We may also teach how strategies to getting up off the floor safely in case of a fall.

6.     Environmental factors: We may identify potential environmental hazards or identify if any equipment may minimise the risk of falls in the environment.

At Best Home Therapy, we understand the impact that falls and balance issues can have on quality of life and individual safety. We conduct specialised physiotherapy assessments to formulate individualised treatment plans to help individuals minimise the risk of falls. Our experienced physiotherapists work with each individual to create a comprehensive treatment plan that meets their individual needs and goals.

Please contact us at 1300-01-2378 or visit us at 72 Maribyrnong st Footscray to schedule an assessment or to learn more about our comprehensive falls assessment services.