Restless Legs And Senior Balance Exercises

Senior Balance Exercises For Restless Legs

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

   Older individuals tend to combat many conditions as they age which effect mobility and stability and can be helped by participating in fitness programs and senior balance exercises. Please see more information at   http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now According to the American Academy of Neurology, Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable, and sometimes overwhelming, urge to move them for relief. Individuals affected with the disorder often describe the sensations as throbbing, polling, or creeping. The sensations range in severity from uncomfortable to irritating to painful.

Treatment

For those with mild to moderate symptoms, many physicians suggest certain lifestyle changes and activities to reduce or eliminate symptoms.  As an example, individuals diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome are encouraged to decreased use of caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco to provide some relief. Physicians may suggest that certain individuals take supplements to correct deficiencies in iron, folate, and magnesium. Taking a hot bath, massaging the legs, or using a heating pad or ice pack can help relieve symptoms in some patients.Physicians also may suggest a variety of medications to treat Restless Leg Syndrome, including dopaminergics, benzodiazepines (central nervous system depressants), opioids, and anticonvulsants. The drugs ropinirole, pramipexole, gabapentin enacarbil, and rotigotine have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating  moderate to severe Restless Leg Syndrome . The Relaxis pad, which the person can place at the site of discomfort when in bed and provides 30 minutes of vibrations (counterstimulation) that ramp off after 30 minutes, also has been approved by the FDA.

Prognosis

Restless Leg Syndrome is generally a life-long condition for which there is no cure. Symptoms may gradually worsen with age. Nevertheless, current therapies can control the disorder, minimizing symptoms and increasing periods of restful sleep. In addition, some individuals have remissions, periods in which symptoms decrease or disappear for days, weeks, or months, although symptoms usually eventually reappear. Another consideration for those aging folks who suffer with Restless Leg Syndrome is that the changes in sensory perception and motor activity can lead to imbalance and a greater risk for falling. As a result, medical professionals like doctors, nurses and physical therapists recommend that those with Restless Leg Syndrome practice senior balance exercises to help build their steadiness and limit their potential for a fall.

Senior Balance Exercises For Better Stability

   Medical scientists have proven that older individuals who perform senior balance exercises on a regular BASIS enhance their steadiness and reduce their potential for falling. Some older adults with Restless Leg syndrome find that getting up and walking around helps to minimize their symptoms. Those aging adults, however, should rehearse equilibrium routines first in order to have necessary stability while they walk off their symptoms of Restless Legs. One equilibrium routine they can practice includes tandem walking. Tandem walking involves walking down a hallway heel to toe along a line. In this narrow base of support walking, the person will have their balance reactions challenged. You can learn how to perform tandem walking and other senior balance exercises by following along with the Exercise For Balance DVD.

Senior Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

    For better stability, get started on a course of the best balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD. The healthcare provider recommended Exercise For Balance DVD is a high quality instructional DVD to use at home or in a group setting. The easy to understand and simple to follow Exercise For Balance DVD includes  a step by step series of the latest balance and strength exercises necessary to optimize senior fitness and to carry out basic daily activities like shopping, doing laundry,  walking, standing, cleaning house, stair climbing or to advance to more difficult pursuits like skiing, dancing, playing golf and hiking. In the  comprehensive Exercise For Balance DVD, you will learn how to improve stability, how to apply steadiness techniques and how to safely execute balance routines from a  qualified balance specialist --- 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

Keep moving 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/