McGovern Physical Therapy Associates - The Personal Care Professionals

PRESS RELEASE :

MCGOVERN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATES SAYS, “BEWARE OF THIS WINTER’S ICE” WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BALANCE AND FALLS

February 2, 2004 - Anyone who has ever slipped on a patch of ice knows how scary it can be to lose your balance. Yet balance, the ability to control and maintain your body’s position as it moves through space, is such an integral, ever-present part of daily life that most people rarely give it conscious thought. Because falling is such a common and potentially serious problem, it is important to find out what you can do to decrease your risk and improve your general health and mobility.

Your brain, muscles and bones work together to maintain your body’s balance and to keep you from falling. Balance relies on three types of sensory information. The first is visual: Your eyes tell you about your environment and your place within it. They help you sense obstacles and potential dangers, and form motor memories that prevent falls. The second type of sensory information comes from your body’s internal sense of spatial orientation, independent of vision. The third type of sensory information is provided by your inner ears, which contain fluid-filled canals. These canals provide your brain and eyes with crucial information on the position of your head and its movement in space with respect to gravity. When your sense of balance is in good working order, these three elements work together automatically, with your musculoskeletal system, to keep you mobile and to prevent falls.

Strength, flexibility and endurance are crucial to maintaining balance and preventing falls. Even if your basic perception of balance is good, you have normal vision and no inner ear problems, you can still be at risk for falls if your muscles are weakened or stiff, or if you tire easily. Ironically, lack of exercise only makes it more likely that a fall will occur - and a vicious cycle has been put into motion. “Physical therapy can help you learn to maintain higher levels of strength, flexibility and endurance,” says Kevin J. McGovern, PT, CSCS, president of McGovern Physical Therapy Associates. Research indicates that the risk of falling in older adults can be reduced dramatically when specific exercises, activities and interventions are prescribed by physical therapists. “Working with a physical therapist can produce exceptional results in many cases. Even if some of your innate sense of balance has been diminished over time, physical therapists are experts at retraining your body to make the most of its capabilities.”

McGovern Physical Therapy Associates, the personal care professionals, is a multidisciplinary provider of physical therapy and chiropractic care. Our sites currently include Revere and Malden, Massachusetts. Our clinicians offer personalized manual therapy, exercise expertise and chiropractic care, including a variety of customized treatment options. Combining innovation, experience and excellence, our staff of clinicians, as well as dedicated office personnel, work as a team to provide caring, convenient and professional service for total patient recovery and the best outcome for one’s injury.

 

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