Better Balance Programme

Our Better Balance Programme consists of FIVE 1:1 Physio sessions at a cost of €299.

If you are worried about your balance or a loved ones balance, the Better Balance Programme at Somerton Physio will help enable you to decrease your risk of falling at home or in the community.

Falling over is something we have all experienced. You may think of falling as something that happens to children and it is usually no big deal, hop up and dust yourself off…However falling is something that can occur as you age and this can have detrimental consequences on your overall health and wellbeing.

Physiotherapy and Balance:

Senior physiotherapist Pierce O’Connor previously worked in an acute hospital setting where he gained vast experience treating people with declining balance and those who had suffered from falls.

Pierce will assess your balance and muscle strength through a battery of standardised tests. Interpreting the results will allow Pierce to determine your risk for falling. Pierce will then prescribe you with a balance specific rehab programme bespoke to you. The rehab programme will help to address any balance shortfalls identified in your initial assessment. You will also be educated in falls prevention strategies to implement at home and in the community.

What to expect:

The Better Balance Programme consists of five 1:1 sessions with an experienced chartered physiotherapist.
At your initial session the physiotherapist will carry out a full physiotherapy and balance assessment. They will assess your overall strength and balance using specific tests. The results of these tests will help your physiotherapist determine your level of balance and your likelihood/risk of falling.

Throughout the following three sessions, your physiotherapist will guide you through a progressive rehab programme focusing on improving your strength and overall balance. You will be provided with a home exercise programme specifically tailored to your needs and capabilities.

In the fifth and final session, the physio will reassess your balance and strength by repeating the tests undertaken in the first session. By highlighting the progress you’ve made, your physiotherapist can evaluate your improvements in balance and determine if you’re less prone to falling.

This session will also focus on progressing your home-based exercises, in order for you to continue to work on your balance and maintain your strength gains.

What are the benefits of the Better Balance Programme?

• Improve your balance
• Improve your overall strength and function
• Highlight any potential risk factors for falling and improve your awareness of trip hazards.
• Help reduce your risk of falling at home or in the community

Who is the Better Balance Programme suitable for?

• Anyone who feels their balance or mobility has declined
• Anyone who has suffered from previous falls and has been cleared by their GP/medical team to partake in physical activity
• Anyone who has a fear of falling and wants to reduce their risk of falling
• Anyone who is independently mobile with or without a walking aid

Statistics around falling / falls:

There are numerous factors that can affect your balance such as injury, disease or illness and aging. Unfortunately, as we age, we do lose our ability to balance thus increasing our risk of falling.

Research has shown that 1 in 3 adults over the age of 65 will suffer one fall a year and for adults over the age of 80, 1 in 2 will suffer one fall a year. As we age we lose muscle mass and bone density, this can occur from the age of 35.

The reduction in muscle mass along with other factors can increase your risk of falling. An increased risk of falling coupled with decreased bone density (strength of your bones) will increase your risk of bony fracture if you suffer a fall.

5% of adults over 65 years of age will be admitted to hospital due to a bone related injury, of which the most common is a hip fracture. Hip fractures in most cases result in surgical fixation or a Total Hip Replacement.