“I’m just not as balanced as I used to be.”
This is not an unusual conversation
starter at Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC from our La Grande chiropractic patients
and/or their loved ones. Balance is
key to prevent falls and
related issues that may come with it…like
breaking something! Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC presents some news
regarding fall prevention and balance improvement
with spinal manipulation and balance practice.
BALANCE AND AGING
The 50s bring some hard to ignore changes
especially in relation to 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
of age who did not have any problems with walking found that 20.4% couldn’t perform a 10 second one-legged-stand which tended
to intensify the risk of all-cause mortality. (1) Not being
able to do the 10 second balance test was related to an 84% higher risk of dying within in the
study time (12 years). This observational study did
not state cause/effect but proposed a connection,
a link that may insire middle and older age folks to practice
standing on one leg daily! To be safe, Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
recommends standing next a counter
to catch yourself if necessary. If you can only do 2 seconds today, keep working on it.
You’ll do better as you practice!
(2) Once you add a few seconds, you’ll
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 measuring
test for postural sway. None were different 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 commonly used 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
La Grande chiropractor in evaluating baseline
balance.
ROLE OF CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATION IN MOVEMENT CONTROL
A recently 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 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 see how well we can enhance
your balance!
CONTACT Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Nate McKee on The Back Doctors Podcast with
Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes relieving
chiropractic care and re-establishing balance via The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for
patients with spinal stenosis.
Schedule your La Grande chiropractic
appointment now. We look forward to hearing how
much better balanced you are!