How Balanced Are You?
For most of us, balance is not something we consider day to day. It is one of those functions we all rely on, but it is not something we need to consciously think about…
… until part of our balance system is temporarily or permanently lost and then we become aware of feeling unsteady.
Most of us will have experienced a loss of balance at some point, even if just a brief encounter from playground/fairground rides or after being on a boat. It can feel quite unsettling but usually passes quickly, however, experiencing this on a daily basis can be tiring and potentially dangerous with the risk of falls.
Symptoms
Loss of balance results in unsteadiness, which can make it difficult to walk without external support, for example; needing to hold onto furniture or link arms with a friend. You may also experience other associated symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, nausea, hearing and visual problems, along with difficulty with memory and concentration.
How do we achieve balance?
Through a complex system!
Firstly, we need sensory input from 3 different sources:
- Eyes
- Muscles and joints
- Vestibular organs in our ears
These sensory inputs are then sent to the brain where they are integrated.
Finally, balance is achieved when impulses are transmitted from the brain to the muscles that control movements of the eyes, head/neck and trunk/legs.
What can alter our balance?
As you might imagine, a change to any part of this complex system can result in a loss of balance.
Injury, disease and some drugs can have an impact, as can simply getting older. The natural ageing process can result in changes to our sources of sensory input and so we generally notice our balance starts to deteriorate as we age.
However, the good news is that there are things we can do ourselves to counteract these effects.
Facilitation
You may have heard of the term facilitation, in relation to the brain.
Facilitation is where repetition and practice of movement makes it easier for impulses to be sent from our sensory sources to the brain and then travel out to the muscles. This is why sports/music professionals practice so intensely, to achieve more automatic movements.
There is strong evidence to suggest that facilitation occurs throughout our lifetime to help us adjust to changes. Hence why, in some circumstances, exercises that challenge our balance can be useful in managing and sometimes curing a loss of balance.
However, any exercises need to be performed in a safe environment, especially if there is a risk of falling, so being near a wall or piece of furniture you can reach out to hold onto is helpful – just in case you wobble!
What to do if you’re experiencing loss of balance?
Firstly, you need to ascertain the source of your loss of balance. As you can see, it is an intricate system so it will not be easy to identify the cause yourself, so seeking medical help initially from your GP or a manual therapist, such as an Osteopath, is advisable.
Once you know the cause, then a plan of action can be put in place.
The NHS website has some helpful advice on simple exercises you can access here that you might be able to undertake as a starting point, especially if you are simply wanting to pre-empt any balance issues that might arise due to ageing.
However, if you would like help with your own specific symptoms, please do get in touch so that our team of Osteopaths can prescribe bespoke exercises to help with your individual needs.