How Can Physical Therapy and Regular Exercise Help Older Adults?
People often think of physical therapists as the go-to people to treat musculoskeletal pain, but physical therapy has much to offer beyond pain management, especially when it comes to the older adult. Read on for 5 Ways Physical Therapy can help you live your best life as you age.
Why is exercise important for older adults?
How does exercise reduce the risk of falls in the elderly?
Regular exercise can reduce the risk of falls in older adults by up to 20%. Participation in Evidenced-based balance programs (like the Otago Program offered by Healthy Aging Physical Therapy) can bring that risk down even more to 30-40%.
Physical Therapy can help you improve your strength, your endurance, help you mange pain, and improve your balance. We can help you if you’re dizzy or experiencing vertigo (Vestibular Rehabilitation). We can help you make your house a safer place to live and teach you ways to modify your movement and mobility to make moving around your home and community safer and easier.
However, falls are an unfortunate reality for many older adults, so it’s also important to be PREPARED for falls. Around 36 Million adults fall in the US each year. Learning to fall safely, what to do after you fall and how to get back up is just as important as working to prevent them.
How can Physical Therapy help me stay Independent?
By helping you manage all areas of your health and wellness, we can help you stay strong and fit so you can stay living in your home and be as independent as possible. Physical Therapy and exercise improves your cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, metabolic, musculoskeletal and psychological health. The stronger and fitter you are, the better your resilience to disease, decline and disability. If you do need help, we can help you find it, or teach your loved ones how to care for you - while making sure they also take care of themselves. This balance of keeping you as independent as you can, with guiding you towards the support you need is how physical therapy can help you age in place and remain active as you can within your home and your community.
How can Physical Therapy and Exercise help me Walk and Move better?
Physical Therapists are Movement Experts and as you age, it can be harder to get up and down from chairs or the toilet, to walk around the house, access your community or use the stairs. Through movement and mobility assessment, we can identify limitations in your range of motion, strength or muscle balance that may be making these tasks more difficult for you. We help you develop the strength and skills you need to make tasks like walking, using the stairs and getting off low surfaces like the toilet easier - and safer.
Can Physical Therapy and Exercise improve my Quality of Life?
A Physical Therapist who specializes in working with older adults has the skills necessary to help you live your Best Life, no matter what diseases or disabilities you may be living with - and no matter how old you may be.