Balance plays a crucial role in normal body functioning. It allows us to complete daily tasks successfully without injury or discomfort. As such, loss of balance can render you obsolete at work and significantly decrease your quality of life. While various treatments can restore your balance, chiropractic care is an option that not many people consider. This post looks at how a chiropractic adjustment can improve your balance.
What affects body balance?
Different factors can cause your body balance to deteriorate, making it hard to stand comfortably or walk straight. The main issues are:
Old age
The older we grow, the more wear and tear our bodies experience. This means the skeletal muscle system, which keeps our body straight and firm, is less stable for the older generation. Ultimately, poor musculoskeletal health affects the balance of the elderly, making it a challenge for them to walk comfortably.
Medication Side effects
Several medications can also affect your body’s equilibrium, usually by affecting the neurotransmitters that communicate with the brain about how you stand or walk. For example, a 2013 study published in “Vestibular Disorders” found that SSRIs, common antidepressants, can cause dizziness and imbalance.
Diseases affecting the brain
Diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affect your spinal cord’s protective layer and can easily result in loss of balance without warning. Also, Parkinson’s disease causes tremors in muscles and loss of balance. Stroke is another condition that leads to paralysis on one side of the body, causing a lack of control when walking or standing.
Spinal misalignments
Spinal injuries are another leading cause of balance loss. This may happen from accidental falls while playing sports or even a car collision on the road. The spine is made up of 33 bones, also known as vertebrae. When a person suffers an injury to their spine, it can cause movement in the spinal column leading to loss of balance or neck pain, especially when turning your head sharply.
How can a chiropractor help improve balance?
There are two main ways in which chiropractic care can improve your balance. First, it addresses the musculoskeletal system to ensure that all body parts work in unison without causing too much stress on any part of the body. It does this by restoring the normal function of joints and muscles, that might be causing chronic pain or discomfort to your body. Second, chiropractic care also helps improve proprioception, in which your brain sends signals about how you stand and walk to ensure a proper balance throughout the day. Chiropractic adjustments focus on the nerve endings to restore the normal flow of information between your brain and body, thus helping you maintain a good balance.
Is chiropractic care effective?
Yes, research has shown that chiropractic adjustments are suitable for improving balance, especially in older adults who may have an injury on their spine or neck, resulting in poor balance over time. A 2013 study published by the “European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine” found that chiropractic treatment helped improve balance in older adults with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease, making it a good treatment option for those who may need help standing comfortably. Similarly, another study published by the same journal showed that specific spinal manipulation delivered through high-velocity low amplitude (HVLA) and low-velocity, high amplitude (LVHA) thrusts improved balance in mild to moderate stroke participants.
What else can I do to improve my balance?
Aside from seeking chiropractic care, certain lifestyle changes can keep your balance in check. Any of the following exercises will improve your balance:
Yoga
Yoga is a great way to build strength, endurance, and flexibility for your entire body. Yoga poses are designed in a manner that helps improve balance while strengthening different muscle groups, including the muscles in between your ears that help you maintain equilibrium when standing or walking.
Tai Chi
Tai chi is a traditional Chinese martial art technique that helps improve balance and strength in the lower body. It also increases flexibility, coordination, and stress relief, which can benefit those who suffer from loss of equilibrium. Tai chi is an effective treatment for improving symptoms of Parkinson’s disease because it allows people with this condition to move their muscles slowly and with ease.
Pilates
Pilates is a great way to strengthen your body and improve coordination. Not only will it help you lose weight, but it also helps restore balance in lower back muscles, making them stronger. This can be very helpful for those suffering from frequent falls or stiffness in their spine. Yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates are all great ways to improve your balance and regulate your body’s equilibrium.
Football
Playing football is a great way to improve your balance, coordination, strength, and endurance. It requires you to be on your feet at all times, thus building up those small stabilizing muscles to help keep you balanced when standing or walking. In addition, it helps build core muscles that support your spine and other parts of the body.
Skipping
Skipping improves coordination, endurance, strength, and stamina all at once. It also helps build up those small stabilizing muscles throughout the legs, which help keep you balanced when standing or walking, especially after a back or neck injury.
So, will chiropractic care improve my balance?
Yes, research has shown that chiropractic care helps improve your balance, especially if you suffer from an injury to the spine or neck. Chiropractic adjustments help relieve pressure in tight joint and muscle tension and restore normal function, leading to a better quality of life for many patients.
Need help with your balance?
At Yoder Chiropractic, we help our patients recover body balance and relieve neck and back pain. Our chiropractic treatments are great for those experiencing loss of balance due to fractures, injuries, and much more. If your back or neck is giving you trouble, contact us today to schedule your examination appointment!
