Montreal Chiropractic Tip: Practice Balance Every Day !

“I’m just not as balanced as I once was.”

This isn’t an unusual conversation starter at Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic from our Montreal chiropractic patients and/or their loved ones. Balance is crucial to prevent falls and related issues that may come with a fall…like breaking something! Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic presents some news regarding fall prevention and balance enhancement with spinal manipulation and balance practice.

BALANCE AND AGING

The 50s bring some hard to ignore changes particularly in relation to balance. Such changes in balance also increase the risk for falling and other health concerns. A study of 1702 people between 51 and 75 years old who did not experience any problems with walking found that 20.4% couldn’t perform a 10 second one-legged-stand which managed to increase the risk of all-cause mortality. (1) Failing the 10 second balance test was related to an 84% greater risk of dying within in the study time (12 yrs). This observational study did not state cause/effect but suggested a connection, a link that may encourage middle and older age folks to practice standing on one leg every day! To be safe, Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic recommends standing near to a tall chair to stabilize yourself if necessary. If you can only do 2 seconds today, keep practicing. you will do better as you practice! (2) Once you see some improvement, you’ll want to do more! 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 measuring test for postural sway. None differed in weight transfer. Younger ones decreased postural sway within 2 seconds while older ones never did and swayed the same the whole time. Older “fallers” swayed significantly more. This specially made one-leg-stance test determined the “fallers” 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 beneficial to your Montreal chiropractor in determining baseline balance.

ROLE OF CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATION IN MOVEMENT CONTROL

A newly published paper noted the usefulness of (Cox®) flexion distraction spinal manipulation for lumbar spinal stenosis patients by improving 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 assessed 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 see how well we can enhance your balance!

CONTACT Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic 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 Montreal chiropractic appointment now. We look forward to seeing how much steadier you are!