Senior Balance Exercises Following Joint Replacements By Suzanne Stoke, Physical Therapist @ Exercise For Balance via exerciseforbalance/ Practicing senior balance exercises is vitally important for individuals over the age of 60 years old to help them improve balance and reduce the risk of falling. Additionally, stability exercises are essential to perform following a joint replacement surgery. Information available from the from the National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, report back there are 231,000 total hip replacements (THRs), 542,000 total knee replacements performed each year. We have seen that surgery it is no longer reserved for patients older than 65 years of age. Currently, the success of joint arthroplasty over the last 10-20 years has created more general acceptance and thus expanded opportunities for younger patients suffering from joint failure. Perioperative mortality approximates a low 0.5 percent, and patients who undergo joint replacement demonstrate a relatively rapid and substantial improvement in their conditions of pain, functional status and overall health-related quality of life. Arthroplasty, regardless of its location, has potential complications following joint replacement. These include surgical wound-healing problems; infection; deep-vein thrombosis and subsequent risk for pulmonary embolism; pneumonia; myocardial infarction; joint instability; stiffness; malalignment; and nerve and vascular injuries. Other complications include excessive post operative edema, inability to effectively manage pain and difficulty with bowel management regimens due to narcotics used perioperatively. Additionally, difficulties with walking abilities and balance problems are seen the following installing a new joint. Consequently, performing balance exercises in the rehabilitation period following surgery as well as continuing with stability exercises and walking programs at home after the...
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 00:11:35 +0000
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