Balance and Gait Disorders

BALANCE & GAIT DISORDERS

At Advanced Sports Medicine & Physical Therapy, our goal is to provide our patients with individualized treatment that utilizes the most effective techniques for their specific injuries or complaints. One of the many treatments our physical therapists offer is Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy, or OMPT. If you are looking for a unique approach to your healing, OMPT may be the answer.

Overview: What are Gait and Balance Disorders?

Gait is defined as a person’s manner of walking. An abnormality in gait, or how someone walks, may be caused by injury, underlying conditions or issues with the legs and feet. While walking seems like an uncomplicated activity, it is really a result of your entire body working together with strength and coordination. Along with gait, balance plays an important role in a steady stride. Balance disorders can cause a person to feel unsteady or dizzy, even while seated. If you or a loved one is struggling with walking or an abnormal gait and balance, physical therapy can help correct these issues. At Advanced Sports Therapy and Physical Therapy in Riverdale, New Jersey, we have several qualified doctors and physical therapists to help diagnose and treat gait and balance issues.

Causes and Symptoms of Balance and Gait Disorders

Whose with balance and gait disorders may experience:

  • Trouble balancing
  • Difficulty walking
  • Vertigo or dizziness
  • Falling or the sensation that you are going to fall
  • Blurred vision/double vision
  • Motion sickness
  • Lightheadedness or faintness
  • Confusion or disorientation
  • Staggering or unsteadiness when you try to walk

Causes of balance disorders may include:

  • Injury, often to the head
  • Trauma
  • Pain
  • Inflammation
  • Medications
  • Ear infections
  • Low blood pressure
  • Ailments that impact the skeletal or visual systems
    • Types of chronic joint conditions, including arthritis
    • Eye muscle imbalance
    • Parkinson’s disease
  • Brain tumors or hemorrhages
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Spinal cord compression
  • Cerebral palsy (CP)
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Obesity
  • Stroke
  • Migraines
  • Vertigo 
  • Certain medications
  • Vitamin deficiencies (B-12)

Please note: Balance disorders can come on suddenly and may not always have a clear and obvious cause. It’s important to see your doctor immediately if this happens to rule out underlying issues or related issues.

Diagnosing Gait and Balance Disorders

At Advanced Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy, we will perform a physical examination to diagnose any abnormalities with gait or balance. It is important to inform your doctor or physical therapist about any and all symptoms you are experiencing to help us best diagnose the core of the problem. Some of our tests may include an X ray or MRI.   Additionally, blood work may need to be reviewed.  At Advanced, we also may conduct a nerve conduction study to help evaluate peripheral neuropathy or muscular problems. Each patient needs to be treated uniquely. Rest assured that at Advanced, we will take the time to thoroughly review and evaluate your condition and prepare a plan for therapy to help improve your symptoms.

How Physical Therapy Helps Balance & Gait Disorders

Falls and balance disorders have many risk factors, which can be very serious and even life-threatening. At Advanced Sports Medicine Physical Therapy in Riverdale, New Jersey, our clinicians and physical therapists are trained to identify the cause and design a physical therapy program to help reduce symptoms experienced. This may include:

  • Strength Training
  • Walking Exercises
  • Aerobic Training
  • Balance Training
  • Gait Retraining

Each specialized therapy session is with your physical therapist. Our programs are designed to help improve your strength, quality of life, independence and overall daily functioning. In addition to a physical therapy treatment, we offer introductory classes led by our clinicians to help ease you into a wellness and exercise program once your strength is regained. 

Call today and schedule your appointment!

If you are struggling with balance or gait issues, you may benefit from our physical therapy program. Our specially trained physical therapists will take the time to evaluate your injury or condition, your mobility, and your health goals to determine the right treatment protocols. Because each patient’s needs and goals are different, the treatment protocols chosen are highly personalized. If physical therapy is the right treatment modality to help speed your recovery and increase your mobility, our trained therapists will incorporate these techniques into your personalized treatment plan.

 

At Advanced Sports Medicine & Physical Therapy in Riverdale, our goal is to help our patients avoid illness or injury, while providing natural therapies to help improve function if injuries or illness do occur. If you are curious about learning more about balance and gait disorders, or if you think you are a candidate for physical therapy, please contact our clinic today by calling 973-616-4555 to schedule your consultation with our therapy team.

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