Tom Willemann Health Tips

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Test your balance: Are you at risk for falls?

Tom Willemann |

The statistics on falls for patients over 50 show that for falls that result in hip fractures, 25% result in death after a year! Prevent falls with good balance!
Use the simple and quick Unilateral Stance Test, also known as “balancing on one leg.” Do it alone or try it with friends of the same age and compare results to see how your balance measures up.
The test:

  • Cross your arms over your chest
  • Lift one foot off the ground behind you by bending the knee 90 degrees
  • Stay still and time how long you can hold that position

Stop the time when you:

  • Uncross your arms
  • Touch the ground with your elevated foot
  •  Move the stationary leg
  • Tilt your trunk 45 degrees or more

Take the best time after three tries.
Test the other leg
If you haven’t reached the target for your age, work to improve your time through a balance program given by a physical therapist or a personal trainer, or develop an exercise program for yourself. A physical therapist’s program which takes into account not just your goal of improving balance but also the results of an over-all general evaluation is the best way to improve balance.
Think of the number of times in life you depend on good balance: getting dressed, especially putting on shoes; getting in and out of the bathtub; carrying anything heavy downstairs; stepping on an uncertain surface (ice or snow, for example); carrying a child or grandchild!  Test yourself at home.

Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation is here for  you in case of a fall, but, more important we can help prevent falls.
Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation located in the Gabriel Realty Buidling at One East Ridgewood Avenue in Wyckoff, NJ provides orthopedic and sports physical therapy services for the greater Ridgewood, Wyckoff, and Bergen County region.  This blog is intended for informational purposes only and should not be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. The views expressed here are the author’s views and should be taken as suggestions. Always consult your doctor or healthcare practitioner before engaging in a orthopedic or sports physical therapy rehabilitation program.

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann is a premier physical therapist based out of Bergen County, New Jersey. He holds an MS in physical therapy from the University of Miami, is credentialed in the world-renowned McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), and holds an OCS (Orthopedic Clinical Specialist) certification. As of 2018, there are approximately 14,000 ABPTS certified specialists in the nation and less than 400 of them are located in the state of New Jersey. Tom is the owner and director of Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation in Paramus. He opened the clinic, which specializes in spine and sports injury prevention, in 2004 after many years of experience in the field. Tom’s caring interest in others and his strong belief in continuity of care, combined with his clinic’s ability to find solutions for the most difficult orthopedic problems, have earned Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation its excellent reputation with patients and medical professionals in northeastern New Jersey and beyond. A true “family man,” Tom takes pride in his clinic’s warm and welcoming environment.
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