Get rid of that cane or walker and get back to doing the things you love

By Patricia Nugent

As a physical therapist working in an emergency room in Las Vegas, for years Dr. Aaron Cook would refer patients to the Fyzical Therapy and Balance Centers in the area, as they promised the latest equipment with seasoned professionals and a proactive approach.

When he headed back home to Cleveland last year, along with his wife and two small children, he thought opening his own private Fyzical practice in Mentor would fill a need in the community. After over a year of preparation, he opened his practice last month.

“We offer hands-on therapies that are focused and customized to each patient’s strengths and deficits,” says Dr. Cook. “Vestibular disorders, neurological conditions, and balance issues are my areas of expertise.”

Oftentimes people, especially seniors, are told their balance issues are just something they have to live with, and they should accept eventually having to use canes, walkers or wheelchairs. I disagree. Whether it’s walking your dog around the block, or your daughter down the aisle, our goal at Fyzical is to help you love your life.”

His protocol begins with Computerized Dynamic Posturography testing to assess a patient’s balance control before starting rehabilitation.

Bring Back Balance
The statistics surrounding falls are pretty grim.

According to the CDC, accidental falls are the leading cause of death in the elderly. They account for 25% of all hospital admissions and 40% of all nursing home admissions.

A fall often causes fractures to the arm, hand, ankle, spine, pelvis and hip, with the hip being amongst the most devastating, as one in five hip fracture patients will pass away within a year.

“Fear of falling can spur people to stay in their homes and become sedentary, which puts them at risk for subsequent falls and other conditions,” he says. “Once people stop doing the physical things they love, their lives can quickly spiral downward. The good news is falls can be prevented. Balance is something you can work on and improve. It’s a physiological process that can be restored with targeted physical therapy.”

One of the many tools Dr. Cook uses to help patients is called SOS, or a Safety Overhead Support system. Utilizing a harness and trolley attached to a track on the ceiling allows patients to put aside their walkers, if they use them, and walk safely supported on their own during therapy.

“It can be pretty emotional to see people walk on their own again after perhaps years of using a walker,” says Dr. Cook.

He uses a special pair of infrared goggles to observe a patient’s eye movements, which helps him better understand how the person’s inner ear is functioning.

A key component to balance is a person’s gait. Dr. Cook has just started offering orthotics shoe inserts to improve the gait and is already seeing results. He uses a computerized analysis through a plate sensor of how each person walks and sends the information to a lab to build the inserts, which take about a month to come back.

Treating Neurological Conditions
In addition to balance therapy,

Dr. Cook treats a range of neurological conditions, from stroke to Parkinson’s, MS and traumatic brain injuries, as well as concussion recovery.

“At the end of the day, I enjoy helping people live their best lives through a proactive approach,” he says. “Our work is targeted to retrain and recalibrate brain and body. A tagline of Fyzical is that it’s spelled differently because it is different, and that appeals to me as a definition of how we operate.”

Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers is located just across the street from Yours Truly, at 7257 Center Street, in Mentor. Dr. Cook earned his undergraduate degree from Walsh University in Canton, and his doctorate of physical therapy degree from Ohio University. Legally, in Ohio, patients are allowed direct access to physical therapy and do not need to receive a doctor’s referral, however, check your insurance first to make sure treatment is covered. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 440-740-8877 or visit Fyzical.com/mentor-oh/ for more information.