Gait and Balance Training in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is gait and balance training?
Gait is the medical word for the way you walk: the length and rhythm of your steps, how your foot meets the ground, how your hips and knees bend, and how your arms swing. Balance is the ability to keep your body over your feet while standing still, turning, reaching or stepping on an uneven surface. Gait and balance training is the physiotherapy that measures both and then retrains them.
Balance depends on three sources of information working together: your eyes, the sensors in your feet and joints, and the balance organs of the inner ear. The brain combines these and sends quick corrections to the muscles. Training works on each part, so exercises are chosen for the part that is struggling rather than following a single standard routine.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, gait and balance training is delivered by the hospital's own physical therapists, as part of the physiotherapy department.
Who needs it
Gait and balance training helps people whose walking has changed for any of these reasons:
- A limp after a leg fracture, sprain or long period in a cast or brace
- Recovery after knee replacement or hip replacement
- Unsteadiness from inner ear problems once the cause has been diagnosed, for example through a dizziness assessment
- Reduced feeling in the feet from diabetes or nerve damage
- Nerve and brain conditions that change walking, such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis
- General weakness after a long hospital stay or illness
- A feeling of being unsteady in crowds, on stairs or on sand and uneven paving
Older adults concerned mainly about falling are served by the dedicated fall prevention programme, which adds home safety and a longer-term plan.
What happens
The first session is an assessment. The physical therapist asks what changed, when, and which situations feel least steady: turning, stairs, getting out of a car, walking in the dark or on a slope. You then walk a short distance while the therapist watches step length, foot placement, hip and knee movement, trunk sway and arm swing, sometimes with a brief phone video so the two of you can review it together.
Balance testing follows: standing with feet together, then with eyes closed, standing on one leg, stepping in different directions and reacting to a gentle nudge. Strength in the hips, knees and ankles, joint range and the feeling in your feet are checked too.
Training then targets what the assessment finds. Sessions may include:
- Strength work for the hip and calf muscles that drive each step
- Step practice, lengthening a short step or evening out an uneven rhythm
- Balance drills that start with support and progress to narrower stances, head turns and eyes closed
- Dual-task practice, walking while talking or carrying something, which mirrors daily life
- Real-world practice on stairs, slopes, kerbs and turning in tight spaces
- Gaze and head-movement exercises when the inner ear is involved
A walking aid is reviewed as part of the plan. A stick is set to the height of your wrist crease with the arm hanging relaxed, and it is held in the hand opposite the painful or weaker leg, so that the stick and that leg move forward together. The therapist also shows how to use it on stairs: the stronger leg leads going up, and the weaker leg leads coming down.
Preparing for it
- Wear the shoes you walk in most, plus comfortable trousers or shorts that let the therapist see your knees and ankles.
- Bring any walking aid you use, even occasionally.
- Bring glasses if you wear them for distance.
- List your medicines, as some affect balance and alertness.
- Note the situations in which you feel least steady, and any recent falls or near-misses.
Afterwards
Balance improves through regular practice, and short sessions spread through the day suit balance training well. Practise near a kitchen worktop or a sturdy chair so you have something to hold. Build the exercises into routines you already have, such as standing on one leg while waiting for the kettle.
In the Sharjah summer, practise walking indoors or in shaded, air-conditioned spaces such as a mall early in the day, and drink water regularly. During Ramadan, sessions and home practice can move to after iftar. The therapist at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah reviews progress and makes the exercises harder as you improve.
Contact the hospital if unsteadiness is getting worse, if you have a fall, or if new dizziness appears. Go to the emergency department straight away if you have sudden weakness or numbness on one side, slurred speech, a severe headache or sudden loss of balance.
Cost and insurance
Many UAE insurance plans cover gait and balance training as physiotherapy when a doctor documents the underlying condition, often with a referral and pre-approval. Plans commonly cap the number of sessions per year or per condition, so check the limit before starting. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of gait and balance training?
The main risk of gait and balance training is a stumble during exercises that deliberately challenge your balance, which is why sessions start with support nearby and progress gradually. Mild muscle ache is common. Training improves strength and steadiness but cannot reverse every cause of unsteadiness, such as advanced nerve damage.
Do I need a diagnosis before gait and balance training?
A diagnosis helps, because gait and balance training works best when the cause of unsteadiness is known. Sudden or unexplained dizziness, or new unsteadiness with other nerve symptoms, needs a medical assessment before training starts.
Which hand should I hold a walking stick in?
A walking stick is usually held in the hand opposite the painful or weaker leg, so the stick and that leg move forward together. The top of the stick should reach your wrist crease when your arm hangs relaxed at your side.
Can balance improve at any age?
Balance can improve at any age with regular, targeted practice, because the muscles, joints and brain all adapt to training. Progress depends on the cause of unsteadiness and how consistently the exercises are done.
How is gait and balance training different from general physiotherapy?
Gait and balance training focuses specifically on walking and steadiness, with detailed observation of your steps and balance tests. General physiotherapy often centres on one painful joint or injury, and the two are frequently combined.
Can gait and balance training help dizziness?
Gait and balance training can help dizziness caused by inner ear problems through specific head and eye exercises that retrain the balance system. The cause of dizziness should be diagnosed first, as some types need other treatment.
How often should I practise balance exercises at home?
Balance exercises work best as short, regular practice spread through the week, and your physical therapist sets a routine that fits your day. Always practise with a stable support within reach.
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