A Few Facts About Falls

1. One-third of people over the age of 65 suffer from a fall each year.
2. Falls are the number one cause of hospital trauma admissions, injuries and accident-related deaths in this people over 65.
3. In 2002, fall-related injuries were the cause of death for approximately 13,000 Americans.
4. The National Safety Council expects the number of people over age 65 to double by the year 2030, which will potentially double the number of falls in this age group.

Why Do People Over 65 Fall More?

The ability to avoid falling is dependent on a persons ability to maintain balance in a variety of situations.  Maintaining balance is a complex process that relies on multiple sensory systems working together.  These sensory systems include receptors in the foot and ankle as well as the eyes and the inner ear.  The brain receives signals from these sensory systems and in turn sends signals to the muscles of the trunk and lower extremities to react and maintain balance.  As we age the sensory systems may become slower and the muscles may become weak and unable to adjust quick enough or powerful enough to avoid falling.

Preventing Falls: The Good News!

Falls in this population can be avoided with proper education and training.  Stopfalls.org is a great resource for education on this topic.  You can download a flyer from their site called Fall Prevention Tips here.  Education is a vital component to fall prevention.  However, at least one study has found that balance training exercises provided by a licensed physical therapist can be even more effective than education alone.  These exercises focus on improving positional sense as well as strengthening of the lower extremities and the core muscles of the trunk so that they can react more effectively to correct a loss of balance.

If you live in the Lakewood, CO or the Denver Metro area and you or a loved one would like to stay out of the hospital by avoiding a fall please contact Belmar Physical Therapy at (303) 274-2404.

Are you suffering from pain, numbness or tingling in your legs or feet? It might actually be a problem in your low back, even if you don’t have back pain. Symptoms such as these that radiate down the legs may be from a condition called spinal stenosis. 

What is Spinal Stenosis?

Injuries or age-related changes to the discs that lie between the vertebrae can cause degeneration and loss of disc height.  Over time, this results in decreased space between the vertebrae, causing pressure on the nerves where they exit the spine.  Repeated or prolonged compression on the nerves in the lower region of the spine can cause symptoms anywhere from the low back to the toes.  These symptoms include pain, decreased sensation to hot and cold, and numbness or tingling.  The symptoms of spinal stenosis typically get worse with standing or walking (which causes narrowing of the spinal canal) and decrease upon sitting (which causes opening of the spinal canal).

Treatment for Spinal Stenosis

The good news is that these symptoms can be improved or even resolved with proper physical therapy. A good physical therapist will identify any strength and flexibility imbalances that exist around your spine and address those deficiencies with proper exercises. Core stabilization activities are especially effective for people with spinal stenosis. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, try the exercises shown in this handout.

Belmar Physical Therapy Can Help

If your symptoms are persistent and you live in the Denver or Lakewood, CO area, our physical therapists can design a treatment program to meet your specific needs. Call Belmar Physical Therapy at (303) 274-2404 to get started on the path to resolving your symptoms.

The Wrong Way to Stretch Your Hamstrings

I was in the stretching area of the gym the other day and I saw a lot of people stretching their hamstrings. Some properly and many improperly. The number of people stretching their hamstrings improperly prompted me to write this blog.

The Biggest Mistake in Hamstring Stretching

As the first two pictures show, the biggest mistake people make when stretching their hamstrings is rounding out the back.  This results in stretching the back much more than the hamstring muslces.  I have actually had patients who have injured their back stretching this way.

Hamstring Stretches: The Right Way

Here are some examples of the proper way to stretch the hamstrings in multiple scenarios. Notice how the patient in the pictures keeps the back straight at all times. This results in isolating the hamstring muscles and protecting the low back.

Hamstring Stretch 1

Sit on the edge of a chair with one leg extended out straight. Keep your back straight by keeping your chest up. Lean forward at the hip until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh.

Hamstring Stretch 2

Place your foot on a chair. Keep your back straight by keeping your chest up. Lean forward at the hip until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh.

Hamstring Stretch 3

Support the thigh with both hands then straighten the knee until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh.

Here is a handout with the above sample hamstring stretches.

If you need further assistance with hamstring stretches or performing any other exercises please contact Belmar Physical Therapy in Lakewood, CO.

Over the years, the declining reimbursement for physical therapy services has resulted in some clinics instituting approaches designed to increase revenue. Unfortunately, one of these approaches is to see more patients in less time which can result in poor quality of care.  Here are a few things to look for when choosing a physical therapist or physical therapy clinic:

Six Keys to Finding a High Quality Physical Therapist

1. A Patient Centered Approach is one of the most important qualities of a successful physical therapist. With this type of approach the physical therapist educates the  patient about their condition, encourages questions and collaboration, and involves the patient in treatment decisions.
2. Licensed Physical Therapists. Choose a clinic in which the care is provided by a licensed physical therapist.  Studies have found that clinics that utilize non-licensed staff (physical therapy assistants and aids) generally have worse outcomes.  Also, some other professions may say that they are providing physical therapy when in fact they are only using ultrasound and electrical stimulation which are sometimes used by physical therapists.  This is not physical therapy.  Only a licensed physical therapist can perform physical therapy. (Note: All of Belmars PTs are licensed practitioners.)
3. Custom Exercise Prescription. The physical therapist should provide exercises that are specific to your needs and not use a “one size fits” all approach to exercise prescription.
4. Individual Attention. Choose a clinic with physical therapists that see one patient at a time.  Some clinics require their therapists to “double book” or even “triple book” patients  in order to increase revenue.
5. Integrated Treatment. Look for a physical therapist who utilizes a combination of manual therapy, individualized exercise programs and advice regarding self management when treating patients.
6. Long Term Results. Be wary of clinics that over-utilize treatments such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, laser, hot packs and cold packs.  These treatments may offer short-term comfort, however, they offer very little in regards to long term results.

Remember: You have a choice regarding your physical therapy treatment location.  Interview the physical therapist and make sure they are the right fit for you.  If you would like to interview any of our physical therapists you can call Belmar Physical Therapy at (303) 274-2404, stop by our location in Lakewood, CO or visit our Contact Us page.

This Blog’s for You: If there’s a Physical Therapy topic that you’d like to see addressed, please leave us a comment or use our contact form to send us an email with your question. We’ll try to address it in future post. If you’re in the Denver, CO area, you can also call us at 303-274-2404.