Physical Therapy · Balance & Fall Prevention
Balance training for seniors who intend to stay independent
A real assessment of why your balance has changed, and a plan to rebuild it, so you can keep doing the things a fall would take away.
Most people who call have already had a scare
- You've caught yourself on a counter or a railing more than once lately.
- You've started avoiding stairs, curbs or the shower without quite deciding to.
- Someone in your family has started using the word 'fall'.
- You've already had a fall and nobody has looked at why.
- You've been told it's just age and to be careful.
- You're walking less, so you're steady at less, and the circle keeps tightening.
Balance isn't one thing, so it doesn't have one fix
Staying upright is your eyes, your inner ear, and what your feet and joints are telling your brain, all working together, plus the strength to catch yourself when one of them is wrong. When balance changes, it is usually one of those systems that has quietly dropped out while the others cover for it.
So I test them separately. Finding out which system is the problem is what tells us whether you need strength, vestibular work, gait retraining, or some combination. It is the difference between a real program and a set of exercises off the internet.
Your first visit
What actually happens
A real conversation
What has changed, when it started, what you've stopped doing because of it, and what you'd like to be doing again.
A balance and gait assessment
Standardized testing for strength, gait and stability, plus what your vision and inner ear are contributing. This is the part that shows which system is letting go.
The explanation
Which part is the problem and why, in plain terms, including an honest answer about what is likely to improve and what we are working around.
A plan you leave with
What we do here, what you do at home, and any changes worth making where you live.
What I work with
Unsteadiness and near-falls
The wobble that hasn't put you on the floor yet.
Gait changes
Shuffling, a wider stance, or a walk that has slowed without you noticing.
Parkinson's disease
Gait, balance and strength work alongside the care your neurologist is directing.
Vestibular and inner-ear issues
Dizziness and vertigo that show up when you move your head or change position.
Recovery after a fall
Rebuilding the strength and the confidence, which don't come back at the same speed.
Deconditioning after illness
Getting back what a few weeks off your feet took away.
Before you book
Is it too late if I've already fallen?
No. A fall is the most common reason people call, and it's useful information rather than a lost cause. What matters is working out why it happened.
Do you take insurance?
No. Working outside insurance means the hour is yours and the plan isn't built around billing codes.
Do I need a referral or imaging first?
BEN TO CONFIRM - do not publish. Answer depends on North Carolina direct access rules and Ben's own policy.
Can you come to me?
Yes. I treat at the Levin JCC in Durham and travel to clients across Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Hillsborough.
What if you don't think you can help?
I will tell you on the first call and point you toward who can. I would rather send you to the right person than take your money.
Start with a conversation
Tell me what has been happening and I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right person to help.