Benefits Of Physical Therapy For Seniors

By Judith E. Cooper, PT, MPT, DPT, CBIS LSVT

Arso Neuro Rehab and Orthopedic Center

. https://www.arso-rehab.com/

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Benefits Of Physical Therapy For Seniors

Did you know that one in four Americans currently age 65 will live to be at least 90 years old? It's vital that aging seniors stay active to maintain their health and mobility to be able to enjoy life to the fullest extent. However, as people age, losing strength, flexibility and balance becomes a common problem. This can make maintaining a healthy level of fitness a challenge.

The goal of physical therapy for all ages is to help restore a person's functionality, reduce pain, and increase mobility. Since as we age our mobility can become limited, physical therapy for seniors can help them retain their independence by improving their overall health and mobility, as well as help manage a long-term illness or chronic pain from arthritis.

The benefits of physical therapy for seniors are numerous and can include not only gaining strength and balance, but also a renewed sense of confidence. It can give seniors back their independence and make daily tasks easier. Working with a physical therapist will not only reduce pain, but will provide options to enable a senior to develop their overall strength and ability, which helps reduce their risk for injuries and maintain a higher quality of life.

Treating Conditions That Affect Seniors

There are myriad health conditions that affect older people. Physical therapy can be an effective way to treat some of the most common ones. By targeting different aspects of your body, such as balance, strength, range of motion, coordination, etc., physical therapy can help treat the following conditions

Arthritis

Osteoporosis

Stroke

Parkinson's disease

Alzheimer's

Incontinence

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

And others

Living Independently

By easing pain, treating many health conditions that affect seniors, and preventing falls, it only makes sense that physical therapy can make you more independent.

We're not saying physical therapy is the magic cure for everything (if only there was such a magic cure). But we are saying that adding physical therapy to the health care mix is a great way to solve pesky issues, prevent others, and improve your overall health. And improving your overall health improves your ability to live life to the fullest.