Why is balance so important during sports?
Did you know that a mild ankle sprain affects your balance and if you don’t commit to a rehab plan, a mild sprain can lead to other injuries?
Watch this video to learn some tips to improve your balance. Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever had a balance issue.
Balance is made up of several systems:
-Muscle strength in your legs
-Vision
-Proprioception
What is proprioception?
Our brain knows where our body is in space, ex: our foot is about to strike the ground; I’m stepping up a curb; I’m reaching for my hair.
When do we need balance?
We need balance for everyday movements like sitting in a chair, standing, reaching, walking, and also of course with exercise and sports like running, playing tennis or golf. Any time you have the effects of gravity, balance is necessary.
What causes our balance to get worse?
Reduced activity – sitting more during the day leads to muscle weakness (Hello COVID and working from home!) Prolonged illness – immobility results in muscle atrophy and again, weakness. Injury – swelling from an injury reduces proprioception.
How do we improve our balance?
Strengthen muscles
Balance exercises
Proprioception exercises (TIP: make sure your eyes are closed – it takes out the visual input and works our proprioception harder.)
If you have any questions about your pain or if physical therapy might be right for you, please call Pin Point Physical Therapy at 704-612-6797 or email gmorrissey@pinpoint-pt.com. I’m happy to answer your questions.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ginger Morrissey
The longer people are sedentary the more fear they have of moving. Ginger is a Fellow of Orthopedics and has helped countless numbers of people with back pain return to their normal lifestyle including tennis and golf.
Ginger Morrissey is one of Charlotte’s leading physical therapists who helps adults and athletes return to the activities they love without pain medications, injections, or surgery. She graduated with a degree in Physical Therapy from The University of Oklahoma in 1997. She has completed numerous post-graduate courses in manual therapy. She completed a Fellowship in Manual Orthopedics in 2008 with emphasis on the Spine so that she could provide a more advanced service for helping people return to normal movement. In 2014, she completed her certification in Trigger Point Dry Needling (CMTPT). This specialized training resulted in her being more thorough and efficient in treating muscles and fascia, the root cause of their back pain. With more than 20 years of experience, she has worked in numerous clinical settings and treated thousands of people with back pain.
In her spare time Ginger enjoys spending time with her family, running, playing tennis, scuba diving and doing things in the great outdoors.
