Join us for a FREE, online *Check My Balance* Class!
Pick a date that works for you and sign up below:Here are the details:
Bridgett Wallace, PT, DPT and Charlotte Howell, PTA will guide you through a series of questions to assess your strength, balance, and coordination.
We’ll also tell you about our new program, 360 Balance Yourself!
The 360 Balance Yourself program is based on the Otago Exercise Program. The Otago Exercise Program is performed under the direct supervision of a professional and has been demonstrated to reduce falls and fall-related deaths by 46%. We have adapted the program to be accessible to everyone in the comfort of their own home, it’s a game-changer!
Plus, you’ll receive a special gift just for signing up for a Check My Balance Class! Free access to our Balance 101 Course in 360 Living Balanced! You’ll learn how to categorize your dizziness and help your healthcare provider identify the possible cause(s) of your dizziness. The Dizziness 101 Course also includes: Review of Symptom Log, Take Home Points Handout, and access to our most popular space in 360 Living Balanced – What’s on your mind?
Sign up for the free class below:
Balance Is A Multifactorial Thing
Your sense of balance is the product of three systems working together: your sense of sight, your sense of touch, and your vestibular system (the inner ear). If you become more reliant on one system of balance over another, your overall balance will suffer as a result.
- Sense of sight – Your eyes play a major role in your balance. Your brain will look at stationary objects to judge where your body is in space related to those objects. If your eyesight is changing, or you’re trying to do something at night, your sense of sight won’t be as reliable.
- Sense of touch – Your sense of touch includes the touch through your feet on the ground or your hand on the railing and your proprioception. Proprioception is the awareness of body posture that is derived from receptors in your joints. Peripheral neuropathy or joint replacements can inhibit your sense of touch.
- Vestibular system – Your inner ear controls your vestibular system, which helps with aspects of balance such as changing head position and the effects of gravity on the body. Both chronic and acute inner ear dysfunction can disrupt your vestibular system.
There are countless factors that will affect balance secondary to your systems of balance. Humans are not constant creatures, we tend to fluctuate from day to day. Think of your energy levels, are they consistently high or low? More likely you have some days where you feel more awake and energized than others. Balance is the same way. Being tired, suffering from allergies, and feeling stressed can all cause your balance to be less reliable.
If you feel like your balance isn’t as strong as it used to be or you’ve had a fall or near fall, join us for a free class and feel more confident in balance.
Meet Bridgett & Charlotte
Bridgett Wallace has a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and holds competency-based certifications in vestibular rehabilitation and concussion management. She is the founder of 360 Balance & Dizziness and co-founder of 360 Neuro Health Institute. Bridgett is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the Vestibular Disorders Association.
In addition to treating patients, Bridgett consults and lectures both nationwide and internationally in concussion management and vestibular disorders. She has provided consulting services to The University of Texas Athletics since 1998 and MLB Umpire Medical Services since 2011. Bridgett co-authored two patents for vestibular disorders and developed an iPhone app, PLAY IT SAFE®, which was designed for sideline-concussion assessment. She has been published in the Eye & Brain Journal and has contributed to chapters in Therapeutic Exercise and Lifespan Neurorehabilitation – both textbooks used in therapy schools. Bridgett was awarded the Health Care Heroes Award by the Austin Business Journal in 2011 and Distinguished Alumni Award by Texas State University Physical Therapy Department in 2013.
Bridgett is a proud graduate of Texas Tech University, Texas State University, and Hardin-Simmons University. She is a 4th generation Texan from Wheeler, TX. Bridgett values time with family and friends. She loves the outdoors, especially outdoor cooking, camping, the water, and hitting the open road on her motorcycle
Charlotte Howell is a licensed physical therapist assistant. She was inspired to pursue vestibular therapy when she had the opportunity to spend one of her clinical rotations in school with the 360 Balance & Dizziness team. Her interest in the field has only grown deeper since she officially joined the team!
Originally from Massachusetts, Charlotte earned her PTA degree at Austin Community College. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Pre-Physical Therapy from Ohio University. Charlotte has experience working in inpatient rehab, geriatric, and outpatient ortho clinic settings. Prior to becoming a therapist, Charlotte lived and worked in McMurdo Station, Antarctica.
Charlotte enjoys traveling around the world, painting, going for long walks with her dog Harvey, and finding fun new restaurants around town with friends.
Here’s the scoop on the 360 Balance Yourself Program:
We are excited to introduce our new fall prevention program, 360 Balance Yourself, based on the Otago Exercise Program!
The Otago Exercise Program was developed with one mission in mind: to reduce the risk of falls and fall-related injuries among adults. This program has been proven to be extremely successful, as evidenced by a 35% reduction in falls and fall-related deaths due to its implementation!
For 360 Balance Yourself, we have modified the Otago program to be accessible to people in the comfort of their own home. This removes the fundamental aspect of performing the Otago Exercise Program under the supervision of a trained professional.
The 360 Balance Yourself program is full of progressive strength-building exercises that get more challenging over time for maximum efficacy. You can progress yourself at your own pace.
The Check My Balance Class, 360 Balance Yourself Program, and the 360 Living Balanced Community are brought to you by 360 Balance & Dizziness Center, are managed by working healthcare professionals, and are for educational purposes only. This advice is not meant to be a substitute for advice from a medical professional regarding diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding a healthcare condition.