Sensory Neuropathy And Senior Balance Exercises

Senior Balance Exercises For Lower Leg Neuropathy

By Suzanne Stoke, Physical Therapist @ Exercise For Balance via www.exerciseforbalance.com

  Numbness in the lower legs is a common ailment among older adults and those with Diabetes, which can be helped by practicing senior balance exercises as part of a regular fitness program. Please see   http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now  The body's sensory system is very complex as well as essential for balance and fall prevention. In general the skin has about five million touch receptors. Sensory receptors are spread throughout the body, although they are not evenly distributed. As an example, in the finger tips there are an abundance of sensory receptors, but fewer in the elbows. The lips are very sensitive, especially to heat and cold. The sensory receptors on the under surface of your feet are critically important to provide the balance center in the brain with information regarding the surface you are standing and walking on. However for Diabetics and older individuals, Peripheral Neuropathy is common and results in impairments in distal proprioception, sensory feedback and strength. Deficits in both sensory input and strength in the lower legs and feet hinder balance and predispose aging individuals to falls. A basic diagnosis of Peripheral Neuropathy can be described by a loss of heel reflexes, decreased vibratory sense that improves proximally, impaired  position sense at the great toe, and inability to maintain unipedal stance for 10 seconds in three attempts. Impairments with theses tests suggest the presence of Peripheral Neuropathy in the lower legs and feet.  Physicians can help their patients with peripheral neuropathy to prevent falls by referring them to Physical Therapists who can teach them  and their families about peripheral nerve dysfunction and its effects on balance. Additionally, physical therapists can advise patients to substitute vision for the lost somatosensory function, correctly use a cane, wear proper shoes and orthotics, and perform specific senior balance exercises and upper extremity strengthening exercises.

Senior Balance Exercises Assist With Peripheral Neuropathy

     Physicians and therapists have seen that practicing certain senior balance exercises as part of a daily routine can improve steadiness and reduce the risk of falling for older people who struggle with Sensory deficits in the lower legs and feet. Furthermore, Recent medical information has proven that balance exercises can help with peripheral neuropathy. One important aspect of a senior balance exercise program is to include specific stability strategies. Since folks with Peripheral Neuropathy have poor sensory feedback from their feet, it is more effective to imagine a plumb line coming through the middle of their body with their pelvic bowl representing a target -- like for playing darts. People with lower leg sensory deficits can image that the middle of their pelvis is the bull's eye on the target. As they line up their body weight through the bull's eye of the target, they will be able to use that sensory cueing to enhance their balance abilities. You can learn these stability strategies and other senior balance exercises by following along with the Exercise For Balance DVD in the comfort of your own home.

Senior Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

    For those with sensory problems in their feet, please  embark on a program of the best balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD. The healthcare professional recommended Exercise For Balance DVD is an outstanding educational DVD to use at home or in a group setting. The easy to follow Exercise For Balance DVD comes complete with  a step by step series of top notch balance and strength exercises needed to maximize senior fitness and to perform basic activities like shopping, doing laundry,  walking, standing, cleaning house, stair climbing or to advance to high level activities like skiing, dancing, bocce ball and hiking. In the  comprehensive Exercise For Balance DVD, you will learn how to improve stability, steadiness techniques and balance routines from a balance instructor --- licensed Physical Therapist---who has worked with balance and dizziness disorders for over 25 years. Get your copy of the Exercise For Balance DVD by clicking on the BUY NOW button

Stay steady by starting balance exercises today with the Exercise For Balance DVD to improve balance and prevent falls.
For more information see http://www.mayoclinic.com/health-information/