Mount Nittany Health Fit for Play is pleased to announce its new Balance & Fall Prevention Program, which launched in July. The new program, which is dedicated to helping patients restore their balance and prevent falls, complements the other services offered by the practice, which include outpatient physical therapy and fitness – delivered with Mount Nittany Health Fit for Play’s unique and signature model of providing hands on treatment and individualized attention.
Nearly 8 million adults of all ages in the United States report balance disorders each year. Balance problems can interfere with everyday life, whether it’s feeling unsteady on stairs or when stepping off a curb at the street corner, when working in the garden, or when bending to remove items from a low cabinet. Balance issues can be obstacles at work if you feel you’re not as agile as you should be.
Balance issues can increase with age: almost 40 percent of older adults are affected by balance problems. In adults over age 65, balance problems are linked to falls. One-third of adults in this age group and over half of people over the age of 75 years fall each year. Factors such as hearing problems, vision problems, neurological disorders, and post-surgery symptoms can also affect balance.
If left untreated, balance issues can lead to more falls and, potentially, serious injury. “Balance issues can also make someone afraid of falling and so they become inactive, which results in frailty,” says Craig Turner, manager of Fit for Play.
Through the new balance program, Mount Nittany Health physical therapists are specially trained to help their patients improve balance, mobility, and strength; reduce their risk and fear of falling; and safely increase their activity levels and movement.
Therapists create customized plans for each patient, tailored to their goals. Using evidence-based measures and best practice treatments, therapists track patient progress with efficient testing methods.
New patients of all ages are welcome, and convenient scheduling options are available. To schedule an appointment, call 814.861.8122.