What are balance and gait disorders?

According to the Mayo Clinic, a balance disorder is defined as anything that causes you to feel like you are spinning and can be caused by neurological or musculoskeletal conditions, such as arthritis or Parkinson’s disease. Balance issues may also be caused by vertigo.

Signs and symptoms of balance problems include:

Confusion
Feeling A Floating Sensation or Dizziness
Feeling Faint or Light-Headed (Presyncope)
Loss of Balance or Unsteadiness
Sense of Motion or Spinning (Vertigo)
Vision Changes, Such as Blurriness

A gait disorder is characterized as a deviation from a normal walking pattern. A gait disorder can be caused by, but not limited to:

Aging
Biomechanical Abnormalities Such as Fallen Foot Arches or Leg Length Discrepancy
External Factors Such as Poor Footwear
Neurological Conditions Such as Multiple Sclerosis
Orthopedic Conditions Like Plantar Fasciitis or Arthritis

How Can Physiotherapy Help?

Your physiotherapist will conduct a thorough biomechanical assessment. This will include a comprehensive analysis of your posture and gait. Your balance, range of motion and strength of your lower extremity will also be assessed. If necessary, a vestibular assessment will also be included. This information will then be used to create a personalized treatment plan for your specific needs.

The treatment plan may include:

Balance Re-Training
Dry Needling
Education
Gait Re-Training
Kinesio Taping
Lower Extremity Manual Therapy, Eg. Trigger Point Release, Massage
Strengthening
Stretching
Vestibular Manual Therapy
Vestibular Rehabilitation

Explore the benefits of physiotherapy. Contact Physiotherapy@Woodbridge for a complimentary 10-minute phone consultation.

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