Saturday, September 24, 2011

Those With Multiple Sclerosis Can Improve Balance With Balance Training

Balance Training Can Improve Balance In Those suffering With MS

Effects of Vestibular Rehabilitation on Multiple Sclerosis–Related Fatigue and Upright Postural Control:

A Randomized Controlled Trial

Fatigue and impaired upright postural control (balance) are the 2 most common findings in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), with treatment approaches, including balance training, varying greatly in effectiveness and ability to improve balance.

The aim of this study was to investigate the benefits of implementing a vestibular rehabilitation program to decrease fatigue and improve balance in patients with MS.

Specific Balance Exercises Improve Balance in MS Patients

Intervention-The experimental group underwent vestibular rehabilitation including balance exercises, the exercise control group underwent bicycle endurance and stretching exercises, and the wait-listed control group received usual medical care.

Results of The Study Show Improved Balance in MS Patients

RESULTS: Following intervention, the experimental group had greater improvements in fatigue, balance, and disability due to dizziness or disequilibrium compared with the exercise control group and the wait-listed control group.

Conclusion: A 6-week vestibular rehabilitation program demonstrated both statistically significant and clinically relevant change in fatigue, improved balance, and disability due to dizziness or disequilibrium in patients with MS.

As we can see from this study, balance exercises help a wide variety of people improve balance. Studies that we have looked at previously detailed that people with diabetes or over 60 years old were able to also improve balance through specific balance exercises. HOW ENCOURAGING!!

Now, there is a tool specifically designed to help people perform daily balance exercises to improve balance.

The Exercise For Balance DVD goes through specific balance exercises and balance techniques that will help you reduce the risk of falling and improve your balance. Order your Exercise For Balance DVD by clicking the BUY NOW button or see



http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/products

You can also watch a 2 minute preview video at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTIGDk0DY-A

Improve Balance Through Exercise

Balance Exercises are Proven to Improve Balance in the Eldery

Exercise for improving balance in older people

A decrease in ability to maintain balance may be associated with an increased risk of falling. In older adults, falls often lead to injury, loss of independence, associated illness and early death. In short, seniors need to improve their balance through exercise to reduce falls. The objective of this review is to present the best evidence for the effectiveness of exercise interventions designed to improve balance in older people living in the community or in institutional care.

Recent Research on Balance Exercises to Improve Balance

The review included 34 studies, with a total of 2883 participants, the majority of whom were women and on average over 75 years old. The review found that exercise has statistically significant positive effects to improve balance as opposed to usual activity for older people. This review investigated a variety of interventions. Those that appeared to have the greatest impact were walking; balance; co-ordination and functional exercises; muscle strengthening; and multiple exercise types. Improvements were seen in the ability to stand on one leg, reach forward without overbalancing and walking. There was trend shown to improve balance with cycling on a static cycle. In general, this review agrees with other systematic reviews covering related areas in older people, such as resistance training for physical disability and falls prevention.

Improve Balance with the Exercise For Balance DVD

In the Exercise For Balance DVD you will learn how to balance and which balance exercises to perform to improve balance.

To order your DVD click the BUY NOW button or see

http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/products

Watch the 2 minute promo video on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTIGDk0DY-A

Start to IMPROVE BALANCE Today!!!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Balance Training For seniors

Research Shows that Balance Training Helps Seniors

Enhancing Functional Balance and Mobility Among Older People Living in
Long-Term Care Facilities



Jennifer C. Nitz, PhD, M Phty, B Phty
Diane
L. Josephson, Dip Physio
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


This study of long-term care residents investigated whether a balance strategy training program (BSTP) developed for
older people living in the community is effective in improving functional mobility and reducing falls when adapted to resident functional abilities. Balance Training was delivered twice weekly over 12 weeks. Outcome measures compared pre-
and postintervention measured Timed Up and Go, Functional Reach, timed 5 sit-to-stand movements, and number of falls in 12 weeks before intervention with 12-week follow-up period. Forty-seven residents participated in the balance training, 26 of whom were cognitively impaired. There was a significant improvement in all functional balance and mobility measures.

Background on those Seniors Who Need Balance Training

Residents in long-term or aged care facilities have a higher risk of sustaining an injurious fall than community-dwelling older people. Hospital admissions result in between 10% and 25% of falls.[1] The risk of falling is compounded by residents’ low levels of physical activity and need for balance training. Frailty is a major contributor to inactivity and fall susceptibility, but the environment is also an important contributor.[2]



Individual frail residents commonly have multiple coexisting complex and chronic conditions. These commonly include diabetes, heart failure, arthritis, stroke, and dementia. All contribute to vulnerability to decreased activity and falls and need for balance training.[3] It is known that the medications prescribed for management of many conditions are proven risk factors for falling.[3] Vision deficits are commonly encountered in residents. When combined with strength, balance, and gait impairments, as well as environmental hazards, potential for fall risk is accentuated.[4] Acquisition of an acute illness is also a major risk factor for falling, and a history of a recent fall is a most significant indicator for future falls.

Effectiveness of Balance Training

There is evidence that exercise programs that include target-directed reaching, coordination, and balance training in addition to
strengthening with or without gait training have an impact on functional mobility. [9] , [10] , [11] , [12] Functional
mobility is determined by postural stability and dynamic balance. The concept that postural stability and balance relies on intact sensory and motor systems with efficient integration centrally underpins the balance strategy training program (BSTP)[13] as
previously reported. In frail older people, there are considerable constraints on sensory (somatosensation, vision, vestibular system) efficiency, integration, and anticipatory postural adjustments, as well as limits of stability due to age and pathology.[14]
Knowledge suggests that improvement in these, through balance training, contributors to postural stability and balance is
only achieved by challenging all these aspects with applicable task-based exercises. It is therefore important to determine whether exercise programs that are designed to challenge the sensory and motor components of functional balance and mobility and known to reduce falls in community-dwelling older people [13] , [15] can affect functional balance and mobility and reduce the
number of falls in frail older people living in residential long-term care.

Get Specific Balance Training with the Exercise For Balance DVD

To order your Exercise For Balance DVD to start your balance training click on BUY NOW or see http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/products

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Need To Improve Balance Through the Ages

We All Need To Improve Balance

Not long ago, we all went through the developmental process of learning to walk. That process required us to improve balance and increase strength. At first, we held on to the coffee table or chair to keep from falling. As we developed, we needed better balance training to participate in sports like soccer, basketball, gymnastics, karate. some of us developed our balance further for activities like skiing and surfing.

As We Age We Still Need To Improve Balance

As the baby boomers head into their 60's, the components of their balance system begin to become compromised. The eyes don't see quite as well. The ankles become stiffer and vestibular system in the inner ear becomes a bit weaker. With these changes, it is important to do specific balance training to improve balance and reduce the risks of falling.

Improve Balance with the Exercise For Balance DVD

The Exercise For Balance DVD is an excellent tool for anyone nearing 60 years old, or for anyone who has had a disease or injury process effect their balance. The DVD goes through specific balance training on how to balance and which balance exercises and strength exercises to practice to improve balance and prevent falls. To Order your DVD click BUY NOW or see http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/products

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Improve Balance With Exercise

Improve Balance With Specific Exercises For Balance

As we age, our balance abilities diminish. We need to perform exercises for balance just like we need to perform strength exercises and mental exercises. Often times, we look to our doctors or the internet for information to help us with proper exercises. Unfortunately, the internet is full of suggestions to just "Stand On One Foot" to help improve your balance. Let me tell you, there is more to it.

Informative Balance Training to Improve Balance

If we just try to stand on one foot, we will be wiggling all over the place with no long term benefit. We need to have specific balance training to learn how to balance. We need to know how to find our balance point first so there is a strong brain-body connection during each balance exercise. Consequently, we will be able to perform our baalnce exercises with our brains engaged and we will see measureable change of improved balance with standing and walking activities.

Learn How to Improve Balance with the Exercise For Balance DVD

In the Exercise For Balance DVD will you receive detailed balance training on how to balance, how to find your center point and how to perform exercises for balance that will give you maximal benefit to improve balance.

order your DVD click BUY NOW or see

http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/products

Friday, September 9, 2011

Research on Balance Exercises and Arthritis

Research on Balance Exercises and Arthritis


Research shows Balance Exercises help those with Arthritis

In the following research article, we see that balance exercises help those suffering with both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Feasibility and outcomes of a home-based exercise program on improving balance and gait stability in women with lower-limb osteoarthritis or rheumatoid
arthritis: a pilot study.

Williams SB – Arch Phys Med Rehabil – 01-JAN-2010; 91(1):
106-14
Authors:
Williams SB; Brand CA; Hill KD; Hunt SB; Moran
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and gait stability and balance outcomes of a 4-month individualized home exercise program for women with arthritis.. PARTICIPANTS: Women with lower-limb osteoarthritis or lower-limb rheumatoid arthritis were enrolled. INTERVENTION: After completion of the initial assessment, all participants received home balance exercises from an experienced physiotherapist based on assessment findings and exercises available from commercially available kits. All measures were repeated 4 months later. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Falls risk and balance measures. RESULTS: Thirty-nine women completed the 4-month program. At baseline, 64% of participants reported falling in the preceding 12 months. Participants achieved improved performance on most balance and related measures after the exercise program, including falls risk, fear of falling, functional reach test, rising index for sit to stand, step width in walking and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: An individualized balance training home exercise program is feasible for older women with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis and may improve stability during walking and other functional activities.

Research Shows the Validity of Balance Exercises

As we see in this study, daily performance of balance exercises helps improve our balance and reduce falls. The exercise For Balance DVD is the perfect tool to show you how to Balance and what Balance Exercises to do.

To Order a DVD click on BUY NOW or see http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/products

Monday, September 5, 2011

What Makes Up Our BALANCE?

We have been looking at Balance and how to improve our balance through balance exercises. Balance is a complex system composed of sensory input from our Vision, Proprioception (touch) and the Vestibular System (equilibrium). Next, our brains must integrate all the sensory information. Finally, a Motor Output is sent to the muscles in the body to maintain an upright posture, whether we are still or moving.

Injury, disease and age causes each one of those systems to become compromised. Daily balance exercises are needed to keep our balance systems functioning at their optimal rate and to prevent falls and injury. The Exercise For Balance DVD presents the best balance exercises needed to improve our balance and to keep from falling.
See www.exerciseforbalance.com for a Balance DVD