Gait and Balance Education

 Falls can occur no matter how old you are or what condition you are in.  However, the risk of falling increases with compromised health and as we age.  At Total Home Health Inc. our goal is to maintain your safety in your home to prevent falls at all costs, because they can prove to be very debilitating.  An important aspect to maintain your safety is continued education regarding your gait and balance for you and your loved ones.

Gait, the process of walking, and balance are intricate movements that occur with each and every step.  These movements rely on proper functioning from several areas of the body that work together to ensure you are able to walk without difficulty.  These areas that work together include the ears, eyes, brain, muscles.  Problems may arise with these areas and it could lead to walking difficulties, falls or injuries if the situation is not properly addressed.  The problems may just be short-term or become persistent and end up being long-term; it will all depend on the cause.  Our professional staff will provide continued evaluation of your functional status with each visit.  Interventions will be implemented whenever we anticipate a problem in order to best maintain your functional status and prevent injury.

Potential causes of temporary gait or balance problems include injury, trauma, inflammation or increase in pain.  Whereas potential causes of long-term difficulty often result from muscular and neurological issues.  You and your loved ones will be educated on what to look-out for that may end up compromising your gait and balance.  If any of these causes arise do not hesitate to contact our staff at Total Home Health Inc. or your provider.  The longer the problem goes without being addressed, the more extensive the gait and balance difficulties will become.

The following list is of specific conditions that may pose an impact on your gait, balance, and coordination:

·      Joint pain, such as from arthritis

·      Multiple sclerosis

·      Brain tumor

·      Parkinson’s disease

·      Guillain Barre Syndrome

·      Peripheral neuropathy; diabetics are at an increased risk for this

·      Cerebral palsy

·      Gout; can occur suddenly and be very painful

·      Muscular dystrophy; causes muscle atropy

·      Alzheimer’s disease; affects neurological functioning

You will also find that obesity, chronic abuse of alcohol, and stroke are other causes that may impair gait and balance.  Certain medications, especially anti-hypertensives may result in sudden drop in the blood pressure from lying, to sitting, to standing that may cause an individual to fall.  Gait and balance problems can be a direct result of pain, weakness, loss of balance, impaired vision, etc.  One may also have problems walking if they are extremely fatigued or tire easily with minimal exertion.  Numbness in the lower extremities can also lead to poor gait and balance, with numbness it may be difficult to know where the feet are in relation to the floor.  The list goes on and it is our priority to provide you with education regarding these facts so that falls will be prevented in your home.

To diagnose a gait and balance problem your provider will perform a physical examination and possibly a neurological examination to determine the cause(s).  The treatment of this condition depends on the cause and may include medication or therapy services to compensate for the area that is lacking, such as a decline in balance.  The prognosis of your treatment also depends on the underlying conditions that are present and also how motivated you are to participate in your treatment. 

Total Home Health Inc. will provide you with all the education you and your loved one needs related to maintaining your gait and balance.  Our professionals will never fail to provide you with holistic care to maintain your well-being and functional status.