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The Manual Touch Physical Therapy

Whole Body Approach

Reclaim movement, function and life
For information, call: 847-541-7600
or email: info@themanualtouch.com
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Balance and Vestibular Rehab

 

Regain your balance and confidence and get back to enjoying your life.

Physical Therapy for Better Balance and Fall PreventionDoes the room spin when you sit up in bed or rollover in bed?  Do you feel lightheaded or woozy when standing up from a chair?  Are you afraid you might fall with normal everyday activities like walking, stairs, or maneuvering around your house?  Have you fallen more than once in the past year?

What is Balance?

For people to remain in balance, multiple systems of the human body have to work together. If one of the these systems doesn’t function well, balance issues can happen, with the possibility of a fall.  Systems that are involved include vestibular system or inner ear, hip/bone and core/muscle weakness, loss of vibratory sense in the lower legs, loss of proprioceptive sense in the hips, knees, and ankles, the nervous system, and vision.  More often than not, multiple systems are involved in creating your symptoms that may sound like this:  “I’m afraid I might fall,” “I feel off balance or lightheaded when I stand up,” “I have fallen recently,” “I don’t feel as steady when I walk as I used to”.

As people age, the number of falls and the severity of injury resulting from falls increases.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in people age 65 and older and one-third of falls occur in this age population.  As a child, when you fell, you used to pick yourself back up easily and went about your day without a thought of lasting injury. Now as an older adult, it is likely you have more of a fear of falling that could lead to serious injury, long-term limitations, lack of confidence, and loss of independence.

The most common reasons for falls in older adults include a combination of changes that are often a part of the normal aging process but with 2 or more of the following issues you have a greater risk of falling:  

  • Vision loss—not seeing clearly enough to avoid falling
  • Hip and leg weakness—making it harder to walk and lift your feet while stepping
  • Posture and balance issues—making it harder to stand up straight
  • Painful feet, back, or legs
  • Longer reaction time—taking you longer to react to something in your way
  • Increased drug use and drug interactions—may cause dizziness, affect balance
  • Chronic health problems—developing arthritis or weakness/loss of mobility issues following vascular events, e.g., clots, strokes, or heart attacks.
  • Fear of falling – being overly cautious can have its drawbacks

The importance of being proactive today, by seeing a physical therapist, to improve your balance is a matter of life or death.  Being mindful of how you move about during your day and performing 1 or 2 balance exercises daily can go a long way to improving your quality of life.

What is vertigo?

Vertigo symptoms are often described as the following:  “the room is spinning”, “I feel like I’m always on a boat”, “I have nausea”, or  “The TV images are on an angle”.

Understanding your vertigo symptoms coupled with your PT evaluation will determine why you have vertigo.  Vertigo can be caused by an issue in the inner ear (your vestibular system), a virus, from your brain, or miscommunication between your eyes and your inner ear.

What happens when you come in to The Manual Touch?

Your therapist will use a Whole Body Approach to evaluate you and determine the root causes of your condition. Then, you’ll be prescribed a unique treatment plan using traditional and non-traditional manual therapy and exercises. You’ll learn how to move appropriately throughout your day and night, so as not to aggravate your condition. Our ultimate goal is to help you reclaim function, life, movement, and enjoyment of the activities you love.

Common Balance and Vestibular conditions we treat:

  • Gait difficulty
  • Fear of falling
  • Feeling off balance
  • Lightheadedness upon standing
  • Vertigo
  • Feeling like your on a boat
  • Recent falls
  • Weakness

 

Download our free guide:

Better Balance & Fall Prevention

 

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Testimonials

Michael is a 75 year old man seen for long standing IT band pain particularly while sleeping and climbing stairs. “Coming in I was in pain during the day.  With Denise’s help, I have less pain and more mobility.  Denise is terrific and very caring.”
Read More
Last winter our daughter Maddie had had several eye and ear infections, and all required topical and oral antibiotics.  These were instigated by a plugged tear duct.  A pediatric ophthalmologist said there was little chance the duct would open up on its own since she was well over a year old, and there was no harm in waiting a little longer before SURGERY. My husband and I did not want our little girl’s eye probed, and we definitely did not want her to have a general anesthetic, so we bro… Read more
Read More
I needed help.  Denise and the manual touch provided the best customized, targeted therapy I could have found.  She put my torn knee back together, straightened my back, worked with me to regain the mobility I’d lost due to a neck injury, even had me doing dance steps I’d not done in 60 years.  I didn’t think I could do this; she showed me I could.
Read More
After withstanding severe lower back pain and an epidural that didn’t do much, I came to Denise, who is helping me strengthen my core and right leg in order to ease the back stress. At almost 71, I have adopted her exercises at home and I can now easily get into the driver’s side of my car without the excruciating pain, and the improvement in day to day activities is noticeable. Thanks Denise.  
Read More
I came in to see Denise due to a cervical disc herniation.  I have been told by Illinois Bone & Joint that they refer patients to Denise often as she is able to help when other physical therapy programs fail.  That was definitely the case in my situation. I had 6 weeks of PT at another location but still was unable to turn my head fully or work at a desk without terrible pain.  After seeing Denise and following her exercise program, I was almost back to normal within a few short months.  I… Read more
Read More
Denise Schwartz of the Manual Touch Physical Therapy offered a presentation about Low Back Pain and Sciatica at the North Suburban YMCA in Northbrook, IL where I am a personal trainer and the Adult Program Coordinator. We had 21 people in attendance and everyone expressed their appreciation to me about her thorough, thoughtful, helpful and precise information regarding lower back pain and sciatica and in addressing their individual questions. As a personal trainer for more than 25 years, I was p… Read more
Read More
On the occasion of my 69th birthday, I celebrated with a special, extended workout that included a set of 10 pull-ups and several other body-weight exercises. But the most important and most appreciated dimension of my body on that day and all others was the pain-free freedom of movement I enjoyed, the product of an exercise focus on flexibility, stretching, balance and core strength. The great change in my workouts came when I approached Denise Schwartz at The Manual Touch in Wheeling to reh… Read more
Read More
Due to a stroke of good luck, I saw a class on Lower Back Pain offered by Denise from The Manual Touch Physical Therapy at Northbrook YMCA. I followed up with an assessment by Denise. Three years ago, I fell and broke my right arm and hip, followed by months of physical therapy. I still have “ issues” with my neck, back, hip and knee….which Denise has explained are all related. She is a “ new set of eyes” on an old problem, and has helped me immensely. I have learned new exercises for… Read more
Read More
I was introduced to Denise in 2013 through the TogetherWeTri triathlon training group. Needless to say we had an instant respect for each other, being that we share a similar purpose and passion in life- helping others heal.  Through my own series of treatments with her I became very aware that the depth of her skills was not simply rooted in the study of the physical body and therapeutic exercises, but that she offered a deeper, more comprehensive opportunity to heal. As a clinical massage … Read more
Read More
Before I met Denise, I spent a good part of every day in bed.  I would go out for one project, then come home and lay on the sofa for the rest of the day. Now I go out in the AM and come home in time to make dinner.  Because of work Denise has done with me I feel young again.  Exercises are easy but help a lot.  She is my angel.
Read More

Our Mission


We believe all body systems and mental/emotional health are connected. We take a whole body approach to discover why patients are not healing and what were the initial causes of their current symptoms. 

Our mission is to use this whole body approach to help patients heal and overcome pain and limitations, resulting in improved quality of life. We also aim to promote wellness in our communities through ongoing education. 
Top 10 physical therapists in Wheeling

A winner of the
2015 Patients' Choice Awards
for
Wheeling Physical Therapist

Verified by Opencare.com

Testimonials

Michael is a 75 year old man seen for long standing IT band pain particularly while sleeping and climbing stairs. “Coming in I was in pain during the day.  With Denise’s help, I have less pain and more mobility.  Denise is terrific and very … Read more
Last winter our daughter Maddie had had several eye and ear infections, and all required topical and oral antibiotics.  These were instigated by a plugged tear duct.  A pediatric ophthalmologist said there was little chance the duct would open up o… Read more
I needed help.  Denise and the manual touch provided the best customized, targeted therapy I could have found.  She put my torn knee back together, straightened my back, worked with me to regain the mobility I’d lost due to a neck injury, even ha… Read more
After withstanding severe lower back pain and an epidural that didn’t do much, I came to Denise, who is helping me strengthen my core and right leg in order to ease the back stress. At almost 71, I have adopted her exercises at home and I can now e… Read more
I came in to see Denise due to a cervical disc herniation.  I have been told by Illinois Bone & Joint that they refer patients to Denise often as she is able to help when other physical therapy programs fail.  That was definitely the case in my situ… Read more
Denise Schwartz of the Manual Touch Physical Therapy offered a presentation about Low Back Pain and Sciatica at the North Suburban YMCA in Northbrook, IL where I am a personal trainer and the Adult Program Coordinator. We had 21 people in attendance … Read more
On the occasion of my 69th birthday, I celebrated with a special, extended workout that included a set of 10 pull-ups and several other body-weight exercises. But the most important and most appreciated dimension of my body on that day and all others… Read more
Due to a stroke of good luck, I saw a class on Lower Back Pain offered by Denise from The Manual Touch Physical Therapy at Northbrook YMCA. I followed up with an assessment by Denise. Three years ago, I fell and broke my right arm and hip, followed … Read more
I was introduced to Denise in 2013 through the TogetherWeTri triathlon training group. Needless to say we had an instant respect for each other, being that we share a similar purpose and passion in life- helping others heal.  Through my own series o… Read more
Before I met Denise, I spent a good part of every day in bed.  I would go out for one project, then come home and lay on the sofa for the rest of the day. Now I go out in the AM and come home in time to make dinner.  Because of work Denise has done… Read more
Read More

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Copyright © 2021 The Manual Touch, LLC. · 325 n. milwaukee ave. · Ste D. · Wheeling, IL. 60090 · 847-541-7600

The information provided on The Manual Touch Physical Therapy website is for personal and noncommercial use only. The resources and content provided should be used for educational purposes only and not as a substitute for appropriate medical care. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort please seek medical attention.