Falls is a common phemonenon among people. By virtue of our standing on two feet in vertical position, we are prone to falling, at all ages. So generally speaking, we are all at risk of falling. However, the risk increases with ageing. Whereas, a teen may fall and get up as if nothing happened, a senior may not be that lucky. Fall is one of the reasons for emergency room visits and hospitalisations in the seniors. As we age, the different components that help keep us upright also age. These include but not limited to: our vision, our vestibular system, our muscles, communication between our muscles and our brain and spinal cord. However, it is not only the ageing of our body that contribute to our risk of falling, our environment, our fear of falling, our past history of falling, certain diseases, for example stroke, parkinsons disease, heart disease e.t.c also greatly increase our risk of falling. However, some of these factors can be modified and the risk of falling can be greatly reduced.
A comprehensive assessment by your Physical therapist will help determine your risk of falling and the cause(s) of your falls and make determination as to how best to address the issues involved in your falls, at Onward Home Physical Therapy we that can help with fall reduction and prevention. Examples of strategies used include, environmental modifications, therapies directed to specific risk factors, gait aids, evidenced based balance training, referral to other healthcare providers for particular treatments e.t.c
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