As we get older our balance changes causing us to become unsteady and increases our chances of falling. Many elderly patients come to our practice and have no idea that they are at a very high risk for falling. Often our patients are frail and need to hold on to countertops and railings so that they don't fall in their home. Other patients come to us after they have a stroke and lose the use of an extremity.
There are many contributing factors to patients becoming unbalanced. One major factor is when they don't see well. Not being able to see where you are landing is a big problem. Hearing impairments affect the way we balance ourselves. Muscular strength both in the foot and ankle area, as well as the upper extremities, can cause balance issues. Seizures and stroke also can precipitate a fall. Many of the patients that walk through our door are on medications that when taken together can also have effects on balance.
At our office we can assess whether a patient is at risk of falling through an evaluation. We evaluate simple things such as how a patient walks and how the patient gets out of their chair. How a patient turns and changes directions while walking can give us a good amount of information. Gender and age also play a role in risk for falling. We also have an in depth podiatric examination of the foot ankle to determine risk of falls.
Patients who fall are at risk for possible fracture of the hip, which will require extensive hospital stays. There were a reported 15,000 fall related deaths last year. Of the people who are at risk for falls, 70% of them will fall within their home. Once a patient falls, the risk of a second fall becomes much higher.
As a podiatrist there are a number of exercises and modalities that we can provide to our patients. I provide specialized bracing, which helps to support and stabilize the foot and ankle. With this brace when a patient stands they feel where the foot and ankle are inside the shoe. We also do shoe exams on our patients to decide whether their shoe gear is contributing to their imbalance.
If you know someone who is unstable when walking, or a person with a history of falls, please have them contact us for an exam. We can make a difference in their lives and prevent falls and injuries in the future.
