Myofascial Pain And Senior Balance Exercises

Senior Balance Exercises For Muscle Pain

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

  Older adults in their "Golden Years" often deal with muscle pain that can affect mobility and stability, thereby creating the need to rehearse senior balance exercises to help develop better steadiness with all movement activities. Please see more information at  http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now Muscle pain can come in many forms from muscle strains, overuse syndromes and myofascial pain. Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a fancy way to describe muscle pain. It refers to pain and inflammation in the body's soft tissues. Myofascial pain is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles).  Myofascial pain may involve either a single muscle or a muscle group. In some cases, the area where a person experiences the pain may not be where the myofascial pain generator is located. Experts believe that the actual site of the injury or the strain prompts the development of a trigger point that, in turn, causes pain in other areas. This situation is known as referred pain. Myofascial pain may develop from a muscle injury or from excessive strain on a particular muscle or muscle group, ligament or tendon. Other causes include:

• Injury to muscle fibers

• Repetitive motions

• Lack of activity (such as having a broken arm in a sling)

    Myofascial pain symptoms usually involve muscle pain with specific "trigger" or "tender" points. The pain can be made worse with activity or stress. In addition to the local or regional pain associated with myofascial pain syndrome, people with the disorder also can suffer from depression, fatigue and behavioral disturbances.

  Trigger points can be identified by pain that results when pressure is applied to a specific area of a person's body. In the diagnosis of myofascial pain syndrome, two types of trigger points can be distinguished:

  • An active trigger point is an area of extreme tenderness that usually lies within the skeletal muscle and which is associated with a local or regional pain.

  • A latent trigger point is a dormant (inactive) area that has the potential to act like a trigger point. It may cause muscle weakness or restriction of movement.

    Furthermore, people with Myofascial pain often notice changes in the way they move, walk, reach up or down for objects, climb stairs, get in and out of cars and complete other activities of daily living. Because of Myofascial pain, people are more likely to limp when they walk or stoop forward when they stand. These changes in posture and gait patterns can lead to imbalance and a higher risk for falling. As a result, individuals, especially older adults, who suffer with Myofascial pain are encouraged to practice senior balance exercises to enhance their steadiness and minimize their potential for falling.

Senior Balance Exercises For Painful Muscles

    Older adults who have been diagnosed with Myofascial Pain syndrome are encouraged to rehearse gentle flexibility and strengthening exercises as well as  senior balance exercises to help them move through their day safely. To move smoothly with as little taxation on ones muscles, you should perform certain equilibrium routines. There are a few beginning balance training routines that include learning how to center our body mass over our feet.  Equilibrium exercises also involve generating a plumb line through our body to anchor our center body mass in the middle of our feet. Finding that balance point is a key aspect of stability training which helps to improve steadiness and eliminate excessive sway motion.  As Baby Boomers age, they increasingly face obstacles like balance problems, muscle pain and stiffness and episodes of lightheadedness and unsteadiness. The incidence and risk of falling increases as we age, especially past the 60 year old mark. Now you can perform senior balance exercises by following the direction of a skilled Physical Therapist in the Exercise For Balance DVD  to keep balance problems and the incidence of falling at bay.

Senior Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

Learn balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD

    Those with myofascial pain are encouraged to 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

Be smart and start 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/