Benefits of Balance
FYZICAL Therapy - Stone Oak treats and prevents Injuries while improving mobility
By Amy Morgan
​
Can you stand on one foot for the count of 10? Go ahead, get to a safe spot close to a wall and try it. Did you know that simple assessment can identify health risks and potential longevity?
“This gold standard test is a good indicator of your balance and overall health,” said Lauren Byrd, Clinic Owner of FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers – Stone Oak, which opened its doors at 20818 Gathering Oak in January 2023. “The farther away you are from 10 seconds, the higher the indication you might have something you need to address – pain, injury, a vestibular or inner ear problem. It’s a call to action.”
Lauren’s no stranger to physical pain. She has benefitted from physical therapy personally – most recently when she injured her sciatic nerve and lost her ability to balance and lift one heel off the ground. Her elementaryage daughter also was able to use physical therapy to retrain a toe-walking gait. “I’m a big believer in the value of PT as it relates to holistic health before medication or surgical intervention,” Lauren said.
​
Lauren moved 13 times in her 22 years of service in the U.S. Air Force. Upon retirement, she wanted to put down permanent roots. As she looked for a business to call her own in Stone Oak, she drew upon her experience in health care administration. “I’ve been doing health care for so long,” she said. “This is where my heart is.”
She chose to open FYZICAL Stone Oak because its emphasis on balance fills a need in the community.
​
"Balance is core to your wellness,” Lauren said. “Our
proprietary, science-informed balance treatment protocols
have been developed by FYZICAL’s national director of
education. They are evidenced-based to treat people
at different level of balance impairment. Conditions like
Parkinson’s Disease or Multiple Sclerosis naturally impair
a person’s vestibular system. Likewise, Vertigo can be a
scary and disabling condition – but it’s treatable.”
​
FYZICAL Stone Oak offers full-service physical therapy to
people ages 7-97 — everything from helping athletes get
back in the game after injury, to strengthening muscles
pre-or post-surgery, to reducing dizziness for those with
vestibular problems, to increasing mobility and reducing
fall risk as people age.
Oftentimes Lauren will receive a call from an adult child worried about their parent’s mobility. They’ve noticed their loved one is unsteady or has trouble navigating to the bathroom in the dark. FYZICAL Stone Oak offers free fall assessments that include a gait evaluation. Their physical therapists can recommend services to help someone climb stairs or navigate showering with confidence.
​
FYZICAL Stone Oak has a safety overhead harness system to help someone feel confident they will not get hurt attempting to walk. The heavy-duty harness connects to a rail in the ceiling and allows the patient to get out of a scooter or wheelchair with support.
For one struggling with dizziness, their trained physical therapists can use infrared Video Oculography Goggles (or IVOG) to measure the activity in the eye to help diagnose if the problem is in the brain or inner ear. They are skilled at maneuvering the head to reposition the crystals in the inner ear, which can relieve the problem.
You won’t find cookie cutter programs at FYZICAL Stone Oak. Every patient works one-on-one with doctoratelevel trained physical therapists who create individual treatment plans including manual modalities like therapeutic dry needling, myofascial release, massage therapy and deep electrical stimulation.
​
One of Lauren’s primary roles during her military career was to help those injured in combat evacuate home to medical care and their loved ones. Her greatest reward is knowing her work fulfilled the military’s commitment to take care of injured service personnel.
She’s been able to replicate that feeling of fulfillment as she helps people in her Stone Oak neighborhood. Recently, Lauren ran into a FYZICAL Stone Oak patient at a local restaurant who gave her a big hug and told her she couldn’t wait to come back to therapy. “I got the same amazing feeling I used to when I helped patients get the care they needed. Seeing the smiles on their faces and knowing I was making a difference in their lives — I’m so excited I can help people get free of pain and live in a community where I can run into them again. It’s a full-circle moment.”
Know someone who needs to rehab an injury? Concerned about an elderly loved one’s mobility? Schedule a free fall risk assessment at FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers – Stone Oak. No need to go through a gatekeeper, in Texas, people are able to select their own physical therapist. FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers – Stone Oak is in-network with most major insurance companies, and they’ll file the paperwork to facilitate proper payment through your insurance or Medicare.
