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Millville Chiropractic Tip: Practice Balance Every Day !

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

This is not an uncommon conversation starter at Wilson Family Chiropractic from our Millville chiropractic patients and/or their loved ones. Balance is key to prevent falls and associated issues that may come with it…like breaking something! Wilson Family Chiropractic offers some news about fall prevention and balance improvement with spinal manipulation and balance practice.

BALANCE AND AGING

The 50s bring some hard to ignore changes especially in terms of balance. Such changes in balance also boost the risk for falling and other health concerns. A study of 1702 people between 51 and 75 years of age who had no 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) Failing the 10 second balance test had an 84% higher risk of dying within in the study period (12 yrs). This observational study did not declare cause/effect but proposed a connection, a link that may encourage middle and older age folks to practice standing on one leg daily! To be safe, Wilson Family Chiropractic recommends standing next a counter to catch yourself if necessary. If today only 3 seconds are possible, keep working on it. you will improve 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 research project compared how known “fallers,” “nonfallers,” and young volunteers did on a force plate gauging 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 established who the “fallers” were better – 100% - than other more common ways 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 quite helpful to your Millville chiropractor in determining baseline balance.

ROLE OF CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATION IN MOVEMENT CONTROL

A recently published paper described the usefulness of (Cox®) flexion distraction spinal manipulation for lumbar spinal stenosis patients by enhancing 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 realize how well we can enhance your balance!

CONTACT Wilson Family Chiropractic

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.

Make your Millville chiropractic appointment soon. We look forward to seeing how much better balanced you are!

 
Wilson Family Chiropractic shares new research that notes how those who can balance on one leg for 10 seconds at a time have a lesser risk of death.  
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."