Burlington and Hamilton Chiropractic Tip: Practice Balance Every Day !

“I’m just not as balanced as I used to be.”

This is not an unusual conversation starter at Spinal Care Clinic from our Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic patients and/or their loved ones. Balance is important to prevent falls and related issues that may come with a fall…like breaking something! Spinal Care Clinic presents some news regarding fall prevention and balance improvement with spinal manipulation and balance practice.

BALANCE AND AGING

The 50s bring some noticeable changes particularly in terms of balance. Such changes in balance also increase the risk for falling and other health concerns. A report of 1702 people between 51 and 75 years old who did not have any issues with walking found that 20.4% couldn’t do a 10 second one-legged-stand which tended to intensify the risk of all-cause mortality. (1) Failing the 10 second balance test had an 84% greater risk of dying within in the study period (12 yrs). This observational study did not declare cause/effect but suggested a connection, a link that may encourage middle and older age folks to practice standing on one leg daily! To be safe, Spinal Care Clinic urges standing near to a tall chair to catch yourself if necessary. If you can only do 2 seconds today, keep working on it. You’ll improve as you practice! (2) Once you see some improvement, you will keep practicing! Proprioception exercises may help, too!

MORE ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRACTICE BALANCE

A study compared how known “fallers,” “nonfallers,” and young volunteers did on a force plate gauging test for postural sway. None were different in transfer of weight. Younger volunteers reduced 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 established who the “fallers” were better – 100% - than other more common tests 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 Burlington and Hamilton chiropractor in evaluating baseline balance.

ROLE OF CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATION IN MOVEMENT CONTROL

A recently published paper described 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 reducing postural sway and entropy (forward/backward movement) as measured on a force plate.  (4) That is so good! Between our in-office chiropractic treatments with Cox® Technic during office visits and in exercise sessions of practicing standing on one foot then the other at home, we will realize how well we can enhance your balance!

CONTACT Spinal Care Clinic

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 Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic appointment soon. We look forward to seeing how much better balanced you are!