Oxford Chiropractic Tip: Practice Balance Every Day !

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

This isn’t an unusual conversation starter at Satterwhite Chiropractic from our Oxford chiropractic patients and/or their family members. Balance is vital to prevent falls and related problems that may come with a fall…like breaking something! Satterwhite Chiropractic offers some news about fall prevention and balance enhancement with spinal manipulation and balance practice.

BALANCE AND AGING

The 50s bring some hard to ignore changes particularly in relation to balance. Such changes in balance also boost the risk for falling and other health concerns. A report of 1702 people between 51 and 75 years old who did not experience any problems with walking found that 20.4% couldn’t do a 10 second one-legged-stand which managed to increase the risk of all-cause mortality. (1) Not being able to do the 10 second balance test was associated with an 84% higher risk of dying within in the study time (12 years). This observational study didn’t state cause/effect but proposed a link, a link that may encourage middle and older age folks to practice standing on one leg daily! To be safe, Satterwhite Chiropractic urges standing near to a tall chair to catch yourself if necessary. If you can only do 2 seconds today, keep practicing. You’ll do better over time! (2) Once you add a few seconds, 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 performed on a force plate gauging test for postural sway. None were different in weight transfer. Younger ones reduced 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 more common 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 Oxford chiropractor in evaluating baseline balance.

ROLE OF CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATION IN MOVEMENT CONTROL

A recently published paper noted the benefit 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 decreasing postural sway and entropy (forward/backward movement) as assessed on a force plate.  (4) That is so good! Between our in-office chiropractic treatments with Cox® Technic in the office and your practicing standing on one foot then the other at home, we will realize how well we can improve your balance!

CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Nate McKee on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates relieving chiropractic care and re-establishing balance via The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for patients with spinal stenosis.

Make your Oxford chiropractic appointment now. We look forward to hearing how much better balanced you feel!