Balance at Bespoke
Balance is a crucial part of our health and well being. Whether it's while we’re seated, standing, or on the move, balance is what helps us feel secure and in control of our bodies.
Many of our clients come in with a reduced ability to balance for various reasons. One common reason that most people are aware about is the decline in balance with increased age. Age-related declines in our nervous systems and vestibular systems as well as declines in muscle weakness, vision, and cognition all contribute to a loss of balance ability. One study found that in a population of participants aged 65 years plus, about 30% had a fall within the past 12 months, with 10% sustaining severe injuries. Roughly 70% of injuries in elderly people are caused by falls. Furthermore, elderly people who survive their falls experience significant morbidity where as many as one-third require assistance in their activities of daily living for as long as 6 months.
At our clinic, as many individuals come in with conditions resulting in neurological and vestibular impairments, the majority experience some form of balance loss. For example in people who have experienced strokes, factors such as sensory loss and changes in spatial awareness can significantly influence one's ability to balance. In people with Parkinson’s Disease, freezing of gait and bradykinesia impair one's balance and increases falls risk.
It is important to center therapy around improving balance to reduce risk of falls and fall-related injuries. Understanding the mechanisms around why one’s balance is affected is helpful in targeting the specific areas that need to be worked on within the session.
This is why at Bespoke Physiotherapy, one of the appointment types we offer are our Balance Groups, which are primarily aimed to improve one’s balance and decrease falls risk. Currently, we have two groups running: one for lower level balance and one for higher level balance:
Lower Level Balance Group (Thursdays):
The Thursday Balance Group is a lower level balance session running for one hour, made for individuals who require walkers to mobilise and struggle with walking balance and endurance. An important aspect of this group is focusing on the foundational balance skills that will help with daily living. This starts off with weight transfer exercises through the lower limbs to improve your ability and confidence to take steps for walking. We often work on exercises that work on lower limb control and postural control, which are also vital for standing and walking balance. Other exercises include practicing functional movements such as sit-to-stands, reaching, stepping, and walking.
Higher Level Balance Group (Mondays):
The Monday Balance Group is a higher level balance session running for one hour, made for individuals with difficulties standing and walking, but are able to without regular gait aids for daily living. This group challenges more complex variations of static and dynamic balance exercises with the aim of progressing one’s balance ability for navigating unfamiliar environments, uneven ground, decreasing fall related injuries, and improving fall recovery. We often use the Wii Fit, which is a supported rehabilitation tool in both neurological and geriatric populations for improving postural control and balance. Another component of this group is the obstacle course, which involves walking on uneven surfaces and performing movements that significantly challenges your balance. This demands creative thinking from participants and requires many of the balance skills practiced within sessions to be utilised at once.
Both groups can have up to three people participating at a time. While many of the exercises in the group are done independently, each balance program always incorporates exercises that require teamwork or coordination with another individual. This makes it fun and social for those who participate.
Interested in joining? Book an appointment with us for a one-on-one Balance Review to see if you’re suitable for one of the balance groups!
References:
Ghazavi Dozin SM, Mohammad Rahimi N, Aminzadeh R. Wii Fit-Based Biofeedback Rehabilitation Among Post-Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial. Biological Research For Nursing. 2024;26(1):5-20. doi:10.1177/10998004231180316
Homann, Barbara et al. “The impact of neurological disorders on the risk for falls in the community dwelling elderly: a case-controlled study.” BMJ open vol. 3,11 e003367. 25 Nov. 2013, doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003367
Prosperini, Luca et al. “Visuo-proprioceptive training reduces risk of falls in patients with multiple sclerosis.” Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) vol. 16,4 (2010): 491-9. doi:10.1177/1352458509359923
Raipure A, Kasatwar P (November 12, 2022) The Effects of Nintendo Wii Fit on Postural Balance Control Training in the Geriatric Population: A Review. Cureus 14(11): e31420. doi:10.7759/cureus.31420
Zhang, Tingyu, and Jiejiao Zheng. “Enhancing postural control in stroke patients: advances in mechanisms and functional recovery analysis of core stability training.” Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology vol. 46,8 (2025): 3457-3467. doi:10.1007/s10072-025-08119-5
https://www.msaustralia.org.au/news/breaking-the-fall-reactive-balance-training-shows-promise-in-reducing-falls-in-people-with-ms/#:~:text=Reactive%20balance%20training%20can%20help%20reduce%20the,trunk%20sway%20during%20some%20trip%20recovery%20steps
