Feature of the Month
Why Balance Changes With Age (And What You Can Do About It)
A sudden wobble on the stairs. A missed step as you try to approach a curb. And worst of all: that moment of uncertainty when your body doesn’t respond as quickly as it used to.
Changes in balance can be alarming, but as you get older, they can become more common. Typically, they start small, but over time, these balance challenges can start to affect confidence, mobility, and independence.
Fortunately, the Ace Physique team has some good news: balance isn’t fixed. With the right approach, you can maintain and even improve your balance well into your golden years.
What You Need to Know About Aging and Balance
Balance is a complicated process that depends on several systems working together, including your vision, muscles and joints, inner ear, and nervous system. As we age, each of these systems can gradually decline, impacting balance.
Five Ways Aging Affects Balance
1. Muscle Strength and Reaction Time Decrease
Muscle mass naturally declines with age, leading to reduced leg and core power and delayed muscle responses that can increase fall risk. This might look like a slower reaction when you trip or a reduced ability to stabilize yourself when needed.
2. Joint Mobility and Sensation Change
Your joints provide the brain with feedback on position and movement, which helps your body maintain awareness of itself in space. As you get older, changes in your joints can make that sensory feedback less precise, making uneven ground or quick pivots more challenging.
3. Vision Becomes Less Reliable
Vision plays a major role in balance. Age causes a decline in vision that forces your body to rely more heavily on other systems to maintain balance.
4. Inner Ear Changes Affect Stability
The inner ear contains structures that detect motion and head position. Over time, the sensitivity in these structures decreases. As a result, signals to the brain may become less accurate, leading to dizziness or other feelings of unsteadiness.
5. Slower Nervous System Processing
The brain integrates information from the muscles, eyes, and inner ear to help maintain balance. Aging can slow this process, leading to delayed corrective responses and increased reliance on cautious movement patterns.
However, Decline Is Not Inevitable!
While these changes are common, they are modifiable. A targeted balance rehab plan from Ace Physique can help improve your overall strength and coordination, enhance balance reactions, and reduce your fall risk.
With consistent input, your body can relearn and improve, no matter your age.
Our Team Is Here to Help You Maintain Your Balance
At Ace Physique, our multidisciplinary team can help address your balance challenges through a combination of assessment, targeted treatment, and guided progression.
We’ll begin by working with you to identify the root cause of your balance challenges, with an assessment that typically includes:
- Strength and mobility testing
- Analysis of your balance, stability, and walking patterns
- Vestibular and sensory screening
This allows us to select the treatment techniques that will benefit you most.
An Integrated Approach to Care
We offer multiple treatment approaches that can help address balance from multiple angles, supporting your strength, mobility, and nervous system function at the same time. Your plan might include:
Acupuncture
Massage therapy
Manual therapy techniques
Spinal and joint adjustments
Progressive exercises
Targeted gait and balance training
Vestibular therapy
When combined, these approaches can help address many of the key factors that contribute to balance challenges. We’ll also adjust your plan as you improve.
Ultimately, we want to help you move more efficiently, react more quickly, and feel more confident in your day-to-day activities.
Take the Next Step Toward Better Balance
Aging is inevitable, but age-related balance challenges are not! With the right guidance, your body can adapt, strengthen, and regain control.
If you’ve noticed unsteadiness, dizziness, or reduced confidence in your daily movements, give the team at Ace Physique a call. We’ll help you develop a care plan that fits your needs.
More to Explore
The Role of Your Ankles in Safe, Steady Walking
Have you ever misstepped on uneven ground? Or couldn’t quite recover when you lost footing? These moments can often be traced back to a part of the body people often overlook: the ankle.
Why Ankle Strength Matters
The truth is that strong ankles are essential for safe, efficient walking, as the joint plays a key role in every step you take, helping to:
- Absorb impact when your foot hits the ground
- Control the forward movement of the body
- Adjust your steps to uneven surfaces
- Push off to move you forward
- Support proprioception, your body’s sense of awareness
When your ankle is weak or unstable, you might find yourself walking more slowly or taking shorter, wobbly steps. This can increase your risk of tripping or falling.
Improve Your Stability From the Ground Up with Ace Physique
Fortunately, our team is here to help! We’ll begin by identifying how your ankles might be affecting your gait. From there, we’ll guide you through a plan to improve strength, control, and reaction time. This might include:
- Targeted strengthening and balance exercises, such as heel raises or standing on one leg
- Proprioceptive training, such as standing on an unstable surface
- Gait retraining to improve step quality and practice proper foot placement
- Integrated support from physiotherapy, massage, and chiropractic care as needed
Strong Ankles, Safer Steps
Small changes in ankle strength can make a big difference in how you move and feel. If your walking has been feeling less stable lately, book an assessment with Ace Physique to learn more about how we can improve your ankle strength and set you on the path toward safer, stronger movement.
Exercise of the Month
ISOMETRIC ANKLE EXERCISE
Slowly push against an immovable object in 4 directions of ankle movement, such as inward, outward, up, and down. Hold for 5 seconds.
3 Sets, 10 Reps. (Materials needed: immovable object)
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Seasonal Tips
How To Have a Great Summer–PT Style!
Summer’s almost here, and you know what that means! Longer days, warmer weather, and more time outdoors. Summer is the perfect time of year to get outside and get active, but it can also bring a spike in aches, strains, and overuse injuries.
Fortunately, a few simple strategies from the Ace Physique team can help you stay active and feel your best all season long.
1. Build Up Gradually
It’s tempting to jump straight into weekend sports or long, scenic hikes, but sudden increases in activity can overload your muscles and joints. Instead:
- Increase activity time or intensity slowly (for example, ease in with some shorter nature walks before hitting that advanced trail)
- Add rest days between higher-demand activities
- Mix up activities to avoid repeating the same movements
2. Prioritize Strength and Stability
Strong muscles support your joints and improve control during movement. Take some time to work on:
- Lower body strength with squats or step-ups
- Core stability with planks or dead bugs
- Balance with single-leg stands or heel-to-toe walking
These exercises improve coordination and reduce fall risk, especially on uneven outdoor surfaces.
3. Stay Mobile and Recover Well
Tight joints and muscles can limit movement and increase strain. After a strenuous day, support your recovery with:
- Gentle stretching immediately after activity
- Light mobility work for the hips, ankles, and spine
- Adequate hydration and sleep
If your pain lingers, it could be a sign that your body needs a little extra help from our team.
Make the Most of Your Summer
Staying active should feel good. With the right approach, you can enjoy more movement with less discomfort. And if something doesn’t feel right, address it early! Book an assessment with Ace Physique and keep your summer moving in the right direction.
May Word Scramble
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nhiigfs
uuasrt
prsnig
eskbta
lveendar
Answer Key
dandelion
fishing
taurus
spring
basket
lavender
Patient Testimonial
What Our Patients Are Saying
“I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude for the exceptional care I received at Ace Physique. I have been suffering from severe back, shoulder, and neck pain for a long time, largely due to the physical demands of my job. My doctor recommended physiotherapy and massage, so I searched for the best physiotherapy and massage clinic in Calgary and was pleased to find Ace Physique. My first visit was with Aartee, who demonstrated remarkable expertise. She took the time to listen to my concerns and diagnosed the root cause of my pain in just one visit. She created a customized treatment plan tailored to my specific needs, which has been a game-changer for me. She planned a comprehensive approach to treatment, used the latest machines, manual release techniques, and personalized exercise programs. I particularly appreciate the supervised exercise sessions, which have been instrumental in strengthening my muscles and facilitating my recovery.
I have experienced various services at Ace Physique, including physiotherapy, acupuncture, massage, and custom orthotics. The custom orthotics have been incredibly helpful in addressing my flat feet, which were contributing to my back pain. They used 3D scanning technology to analyze feet to create effective orthotics.
I want to thank Aartee and the entire team at Ace Physique for their kindness, professionalism, and support throughout my recovery journey. I highly recommend Ace Physique to anyone seeking exceptional care for their pain situations.”
-C.G.
Ace Referral Program
We believe that great things should be shared! That’s why we’re excited to introduce the Ace Referral Rewards Program, designed exclusively for our valued clients like you!
Invite a friend or family member to join us, and both of you will get $40 off! Your friend will receive $40 off their first visit, and once they come in, you’ll get $40 off your next visit as a thank you.
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