Balance
Philip C. Griffin, Au.D
Audiologist
There are a number of reasons a person can develop a weakened sense of balance, including a stroke that may lead to an imbalanced gait (walk), decreased muscle strength due to a lack of exercise and strength training, visual impairment, and medication side effects. Researchers have found that that the most consistent predictors of future falls among people aged 65 and over are clinically detected (through an assessment performed by a health professional) abnormal gait or balance.
Syncope is the temporary loss of consciousness when there is a sudden reduction in blood flowing to the brain. It can happen in otherwise healthy people, but can also be caused by an irregular heart rate or rhythm or other cardiac and stroke-related conditions. If you feel faint, dizzy, or lightheaded is called presyncope.
Proprioception is the sense of where your body is in relation to the space around it, and an awareness of your position and equilibrium. The ability to maintain balance depends in part on information that the brain receives from the muscles and joints in the form of nerve impulses from sensory receptors (special nerve endings). As the legs, arms, or other parts of the body move, the receptors respond to the stretch of the muscles around them and send impulses through many sensory nerve fibers to your brain.
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References
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. National Institutes of Health. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/syncope/syncope.htm. Accessed October 9, 2009.
Vestibular Disorders Association. http://vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/balance/sensory-input.php. Accessed October 9, 2009.
Resources
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Vestibular Disorders Association
- A Matter of Balance Training Program
- Tai Chi for Fall Prevention