Apollo Specialty Hospitals, Vanagaram,
Apollo Specialty Hospitals, Vanagaram , hosted Pedal4Balance Cycle Rally
In Puducherry to promote Awareness on Vertigo and Balance Disorder
Puducherry, December 9, 2024: Apollo Specialty Hospitals, Vanagaram, hosted the “Pedal4Balance” a 150Km Cycle rall y from Puducherry to Vanagaram, Chen nai today, an impactful awareness initia tive addressing vertigo and balance diso rders. The Cycle Rally was flagg ged off by Dr. Rahul Raghavan Menon, CEO & D MS Cluster 2, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai alongside Dr. C. Sylendra Babu, IPS (Rtd .), Ex DGP Tamil Nadu, Prof. Dr. Michael Strupp, Senior Physician at the Neurolo gical Clinic, Ludwig -Maximilians – Univ ersity Munich, and R Karthik, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, The S anmar Group.
A team of doctors from across multip le countries took part in the 150Km cycle rally to create awareness on vertigo & balance disorder. Dr. Sylendra Bab u, IPS , Ex Director General of Police, Tamil Na du, Prof. Dr. Michael Strupp, M D, Profes or of Neurology & Clinical Neurophysio logy, Munich, Germany, Dr. DanDupont Hougaard, Head of Audio vestibular De pt,ENT Specialist, Aal borg University, D enmark, Dr. Vishal Pawar, Sepcialist Neu rologist, Prime Healthcare, Dubai, UAE, Dr. Prabash Prabhakaran, HOD & Senior Consultant, Ne urology, Apollo Specialt y Hospitals, Va nagaram, Commander D r. Karthik Ma desh R, HOD & Senior Con sultant, E N T, Apollo Specialty Hospitals , Vanagaram, Dr. Sathish kumar Venkat asamy, HO D & Senior Consultant Neuro logy, Apo llo Speciality Hospitals, OMR, Chennnai, Dr. Venkata Karthikeyan, Sen ior Con sultant ENT Head & Neck Skullb ase Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Dr. Dheer aj Reddy P , Cardiothoracic & Vascular S urgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Dr. Arulalan, C onsultant, Neuro-otology & Skull base S urgery, THANC Hospital, Dr. Aravind , C onsultant Cardiology, Apollo Speciality Hospitals Vanagaram, Dr. J Sampath, R t. Registrar Pondicherry Central Universi ty, actively participated in the 150 k m, c ycle rally starting from the Mahatma Ga ndhi Statue, Beach Road and con cluded in cluded at Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Vanagaram, Chennai.
Vertigo and balance disorders are incr easingly common, with Tamil Nadu wit nessing a rise in cases due to lifestyle c hanges, aging populations, and undiag nosed conditions. Such disorders signi ficantly impact the quality of life, caus ing dizziness, falls, and other debilitati ng symptoms. Lack of awareness often leads to delayed diagnosis, making cam mpaigns like Pedal4Balance crucial for educating the public and encouraginag ing timely medical intervention.
Dr. Sylendra Babu, IPS, Former Directo r General of Police, Tamil Nadu, said, Awareness and early intervention for ve rtigo and balance disorders can tran sfor m lives. This initiative by Apollo Speciali ty Hospitals, Vanagaram show cases the importance of collective action in prom oting health education and community w mell-being. Cycling is not just a test of physical endurance but also a testament to mental resilience. This event undersc ores the importance of maintaining bala nce in both our physical health and men tal well-being. It is heartening to see co mmunities come toge ther for such a me aningful cause.”
Globally, vertigo affects approxim atel ely 15-20% of adults annually, with wo men being more susceptible than men. In Tamil Nadu, the rising elderly popul ation and urban lifestyle factors contr ibute significantly to the prevalence of balance disorders. Vertigo is particularl ly common among individuals aged 55 and older, with symptoms li ke dizziness and imbalance being leading reasons for hospital visits among this demographic.
Speaking during the cycle rally, Dr. Prab ash Prabhakaran, HOD & Senior Consul tant, Neurology, Apollo Specialty Hosp itals, Vanagaram, stated, Over 90% of all hip fractures are related to falls, balance disorders often go undiagnosed because the symptoms are dismissed as minor or temporary. Through init iati oves like ‘Pe dal4Balance,’ we aim to educate the pub lic about the impor tance of seeking exp ert advice early, ensuring timely interve ntions that can prevent complications a nd restore normal cy to patients’ lives.
Every 35 minutes a senior citizen dies f ollowing a fall. One-third of elderlysuff er a fall at least once a year. In Indidia, a dvanced diagnostic tools like video head impulse tests (VHIT), vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP ), and dyna mic post urography are transforming th e early detection of vert igo and balance disorders. These techniques help identif y underlying causes, ensuring targeted treatments and bett er outcomes. Apoll o Specialty Hospita als has integrated th ese cutting-edge diagnostics with exper t care, offering hope to patients with suc h conditions. The aim is to complete 40, 075km (earthís circumference) over nex t one year combined as vertigo is a sens ation of orld spinning around added D r. Prabash .
everyday life, but with early detection a nd proper care, they can be managed eff ectively thus reducing healthcare burde n. This initiative not only promotes a wa reness about balance disorders but also reflects our mission to empower commu nities through preventive care and holis stic health initiatives.
Vertigo and imbalance are treatable pr oblems – if identified correctly and tre ated on time. Vestibular imbalances ne ed to be taken seriously because falls c an be fatal and injuries can be painful, leads to long hospital stays, restricted mobility and result in significant loss in quality of life. People (Especially Elder ly) do not need to live in fear or fa lling. These issues are not a normal p art oir aging, and it’s imperative to spr ead the word, that treatment is available.
A significant percentage of vertigo pati ents require multiple healthcare consu ltations annually, with co-morbid con ditions like anxiety increasing the freq uency of visits. Hospitalizations for se vere vertigo cases are common, with a pproximately 10% of vestibular vertig go patients needing inpatient care dur ing their lifetime.
Dr. Karthik Madesh R, HOD & Senior Consultant, ENT, Apollo Specialty Hos pitals, Vanagaram, said, Vertigo is mor e than just dizzinessits a condition that ca n limit independence and mobility. Early detection and treatment are vital for m anaging its effects. Cycling, as promoted through this initiative, is a practical way to support vestibular he alth and preven t complications, empo wering individual s to take charge of t heir well-being.
Through “Pedal 4 Balance,” Apollo Speci alty Hospitals continues to empower co mmunities with the knowledge to priori tize balance health, reinforcing the mes sage that early detection can save lives and improve outcomes.
