Fear of Falling: Let’s talk about the dreaded 'F' word in aging -Falls!

Let’s learn about your remarkable balance system on this episode of the Believe in Balance PodcastThanks for reading Achieve Balance! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.I feel very confident to discuss this topic with you today- I’m a PT and we Physical Therapists are Experts in Balance, Mobility and Fall PreventionBut with that said I still need to read our disclaimer. This podcast episode and my associated articles and webinars on balance are intended for informational purposes only. I am not providing legal or medical advice and this information offered does not create a provider-patient relationship. Do not rely on this for medical information. Always seek the help of a qualified medical professional who has assessed you and understands your own condition.Episode Notes: I spend a lot of time each week helping my clients learn about their risks for falls and work with them to build back their confidence so they can believe in their balance again. It all begins with education and in this podcast episode I’m expanding my reach to offer you or a loved one more information to help you better understand the essential components of a body in balance.Parts of Balance ControlTo keep ourselves upright in space and prevent falls, we have 3 body systems that all must communicate and interact together:* Visual system* Somatosensory system* Vestibular systemOn this episode, I’m going to describe each system briefly and how they influence our balance.Reach out to me with any questions on your balance!Quick PT tip and takeaway when observing a loved one for possible impaired balance. It may be time to schedule a balance maintenance check up if you notice the following in the example below.Here’s an interesting fact about walking and falls. We’ve known for about 20 years that older men and women who stop walking when a conversation starts are at particularly high risk of falling.Over a six-month timeframe, few of those who could walk and talk at the same time would go on to fall, but 80% of those who stopped when a conversation was initiated ended up falling.This is a casual way to pick up on any concerns you might have for a loved one’s balance by observing them in conversation with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit achievebalance.substack.com/subscribe