Since we have been talking about balance and falls, we need to talk about what can often lead to falls: vertigo. Let’s start with the basics about vertigo. True vertigo is the sensation of spinning or movement (such as the sensation of swaying). If you’ve ever been sea sick, this is a bit like the swaying sensation, and if you ever got “the spins” in your younger years after too much fun with alcohol, this is similar to the sensation of spinning that some people exercise. There are 2 types of vertigo: “Inner ear vertigo” is the most common type that we help people deal with in the clinic. I’ll discuss it more below. Central vertigo is related to damage to the balance centers of the brain. This includes things like strokes, MS and Parkinson’s. People with central vertigo tend to feel more unbalances or unsteady in general, versus having sudden attacks of spinning. Today I want to focus on inner ear vertigo. People with inner ear vertigo have very specific symptoms. Typically, they have a hard time turning their heads rapidly and walking in busy environments (like the mall). Certain positions can cause a sudden sensation of spinning which can be pretty scary at times. These positions include tipping the head back, bending forward, laying down in bed, or rolling over in bed. What Does This Mean? So what’s going on with these people? Do you remember when you were a kid and you would spin around in the grass until you got really dizzy and fell… Read More

The last few weeks we’ve seen a lot of people coming into the clinic with balance issues. It’s a common problem that we see quite a lot, but not a lot of people know that physical therapists can help with your balance. We like to have a bit of fun when we’re testing people’s balance. We like to play ‘one-legged darts’ and do the ‘can you walk in a straight line?’ test. This tells us how steady (or wobbly) people are on their feet. After we’ve done these little tests, everyone always says: “I didn’t realize my balance was that bad!” And it’s true! Most of us rarely realize we have a problem with our balance until it’s pointed out to us. Even though not all of us have superhuman balance like gymnasts and ice skaters, we need a certain level of balance to help us go about our daily activities without falling over and hurting ourselves. How Do You Tell If You’re Losing Your Balance? So I wanted to share the most common signs and symptoms to lookout for, when it comes to wobbly balance and an increased risk of falls. One of the most common ones is ‘dizziness’. Everyone has a dizzy spell now and then, but the word ‘dizziness’ may mean something different to different people. For some people dizziness might be a fleeting sensation of spinning. While for others it feels intense and lasts a long time. If you find yourself feeling as though the room is spinning… Read More

I work with clients 40+ and I often hear them say with a chuckle; “Yep, I’m shrinking and my feet are getting bigger.” Honestly, this is no laughing matter. If you are shrinking more than 1/2 an inch a year or more than 1.6 inches in your lifetime then you likely have had a fracture in your spine (the vertebral column) due to soft bones, or what we call osteopenia and osteoporosis. Don’t panic. It’s healed but it has healed in a way that has left you shorter. Think of soft bones/osteoporosis like butter and if you slouch or work in front of a computer most of your day (which is almost all of us) then that can load the vertebrae/bone and cause a “silent compression fracture”. A “silent fracture” means you do not feel it happen! You only notice the loss of height or shrinking over time. Can Height Be Gained? Can we help people gain height? Yes, but not by causing the bones to grow. We have seen patients gain an inch in height by stretching the tight posture muscles and giving them posture activities and yoga type exercises. It is a myth to think that shrinking comes with age. It’s also a myth to think you can’t do anything for the rounded upper back posture. You can improve that rounded upper back posture and certainly prevent it from getting worse. If you are a pre or post menopausal woman with a rounded upper… Read More

A gentleman called the clinic the other day. He had growing concerns and asked us: “Why does my wife keep falling over?” He continued to tell us that his wife, Sally, 71, generally has good health, but lately she’s been having difficulty controlling her balance and loses confidence every time she falls – so much so, that she’s scared to leave the house without him, or their daughter by her side, just in case she falls over and there’s no one there to help her get back up. Losing your balance is a scary thing. And it’s something we hear people worrying about all the time. It’s not uncommon that as we get older we begin to feel unsteady on our feet. People have told us that when they’re out doing their weekly food shop they have to rely on the shopping cart to keep them on their feet, or lean on a loved one to help them get around safely… Fear of falling spoils their confidence to leave the house alone. Even getting up and moving around the house independently. It’s a worrying thing that happens. And most of the time, people don’t understand why it’s happening to them all of a sudden. So why is it that falls are one of the main causes of accidents and injuries in people aged 65+? Here’s just some of the reasons why falling can become more of an issue as we get older… Contributors to Loss of Balance… Read More

Did you know that some people suffer from headaches so frequently that they consider them to be a regular part of life? That’s why things like aspirin sellers. But drugs can only relieve the symptoms temporarily – when many times, the recurring headaches may actually be the result of something else. In my years of experience, it’s often the case that, if someone is suffering from regular headache episodes, they just haven’t got to the real, underlying ROOT CAUSE of the problem. Many times, the recurring headaches may be the result of a dysfunction with the shoulder, jaw or neck… and it is usually possible that an expert in recognizing relief from headaches could help someone like you! If You Feel Let Down, Disappointed, And Even Skeptical About What Can Be Done To Help You, Then Read On… My name is Jennifer Penrose, Lacey’s leading neck pain specialist, and I have been helping people live with much less neck pain for more than a decade now – all across the state.  And what we know now is that so many people are confused by the advice they’ve previously been given, unsure about why it didn’t work out… perhaps even skeptical about their best chances of living with less neck pain in the future… and that’s why I created this one hour Workshop entitled: “The Best Kept Secrets Of Easing Neck Pain And Headaches” – and decided to make it FREE to the residents of Lacey. When you… Read More