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Working With Your Physical Therapist For Long-Term Results

October is National Physical Therapy Month and today we want to discuss an important component of senior care in Alameda County and elsewhere: physical therapy that can help you or your loved one maintain a higher quality of life for the long haul. Physical therapy is provided by a physical therapist and is a type of care that is designed to ease pain and improve function. It can be used to relieve pain, improve mobility, prevent disability, work on balance to prevent falls, manage a chronic illness such as arthritis or diabetes, learn to use assistive devices, and much more.

Many older adults need physical therapy to stay nimble, improve strength and coordination, and boost their range of motion so that they maintain their independence and retain the ability to handle everyday tasks.

What Physical Therapy Can Treat

Physical therapy can treat a variety of conditions in anyone, but especially older adults. Those conditions include:

  • Arthritis
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Cardiopulmonary disease
  • Stroke
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Diabetes
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Vertigo
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction

Physical therapy can be provided in a clinical setting or within the patient’s home. Physical therapists (PTs) will start with an assessment at the first visit to get an idea of your condition, pain level, and other symptoms, as well as your ability to move around or do everyday tasks. They’ll also ask about your sleep habits, and will take a medical history, says WebMD. They will administer a series of tests to measure:

  • How well you are able to move around, reach, grasp, or bend
  • How well you can walk or climb up steps
  • What your heartbeat or rhythm is while active
  • The condition of your posture or balance

Your PT will then come up with a customized treatment plan that may include exercises or stretches, massage, rehab, and practice with assistive devices such as canes and walkers. 

Physical Therapy: Going the Distance

But physical therapy isn’t just for the short term to help seniors get over injuries or surgeries. It can be used over the long term to help a senior live with a chronic illness or condition. Physical therapy can help reduce the symptoms of chronic diseases and conditions, plus it has the added benefit of keeping many problems from getting worse. PT is especially important for adults over the age of 65, as their muscles and joints can lose stability and strength over time, negatively impacting their independence in the performance of daily tasks as well as movements, such as standing, walking, and navigating stairs, says Very Well Health.

Here are a few ways in which physical therapy can benefit seniors in the long run. Physical therapy can…

1. Prevent Future Injuries

After an injury such as a fall, the area in question often remains weak even after it heals, especially in older people. Ongoing physical therapy can prevent that injury and others from happening again.

2. Increase Strength

After an injury or diagnosis of a condition such as Parkinson’s, the injured and other affected areas may not work the way they used to. Without physical therapy, those areas will continue to weaken, increasing the risk of additional injuries. Long-term physical therapy can offer exercises designed to target that specific area. By continuing the suggested exercises, you can increase your strength every day.

3. Improve Mobility

Physical therapy can also improve mobility. It can be a challenge to regain full mobility after a diagnosis, surgery, or injury. The exercises as part of your PT treatment will offer you stretches that can improve overall mobility so you will be better able to perform everyday tasks and get around.

Examples of stretches can include:

  • Lower body stretches for the lower back, hip flexors, or hamstrings to promote mobility and joint alignment while preventing tight muscles and stiff joints
  • Endurance training for heart and lung health as well as improvement in circulation (treadmills and stationary bikes, etc.)
  • Lower body strengthening exercises targeting the glutes and quads (sit-to-stands, squats, leg lifts, step-ups, bridges, etc.)
  • Balance exercises to maintain stability when changing directions, standing, and walking (static balance exercises, weight-shifting exercises, marching, tandem walking, etc.)

4. Manage Long-Term Conditions

Many people are under the misconception that physical therapy is only used as a treatment until the initial injury heals or the pain stops. This is definitely a goal of physical therapy, but it’s not the only one. Many people, especially older adults, use physical therapy for long-term, chronic conditions that may not be able to be fully cured. Age-related issues can pose challenges and make your daily life dangerous or unsafe. Physical therapy teaches senior patients the best techniques to help them stay comfortable and reduce the risk of falling from poor balance.

Contact Pathways Home Health and Hospice

Here at Pathways, we offer a variety of rehab services that can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy customized to the patient. To learn more, get in touch with our team at 888-978-1306.