Seniors often find that they lose mobility, strength, or range of motion as they age. In most cases, they may chalk those issues up to just the downsides of growing older. But that doesn’t have to be the case at all, especially with help. Working with their medical providers and taking advantage of tools like physical therapy can support healthy aging and ensure that seniors have a high quality of life, stay independent, and regain the mobility they might have lost.
Managing Painful Joints and Arthritis
Lots of seniors experience pain in their joints and the most common cause is arthritis. Physical therapists work with their patients to learn gentle exercises and stretching routines that help to relieve joint stiffness and improve flexibility. As a bonus, these movements can also help to reduce pain.
Physical therapy providers can also recommend other treatments, like hot and cold therapy.
Enhancing Mobility
Declining mobility and balance can be a huge fall risk for seniors. Physical therapists can look at each patient’s movement patterns, current balance, and strength to determine where the issue lies. Focusing on solutions like building core strength, regaining lost muscle tone, and rebuilding balance can help immensely to reduce fall risk.
Building Endurance
Seniors can struggle with something called sarcopenia, which is natural muscle loss over time. When seniors don’t try to do things that counter that natural muscle loss, they lose strength and endurance.
Physical therapy works with seniors to build up muscle tone through strength training exercises. As their muscle tone improves, seniors regain independence and have better stamina in their daily activities.
Improving Range of Motion
Reduced flexibility and range of motion make even the simplest activities difficult and uncomfortable. Seniors may even start to limit their activities because they have a reduced range of motion. Targeted stretches and other activities make it easier for seniors to move freely and may encourage them to be more active overall.
Promoting Physical Fitness
Staying active is a huge way for seniors to have better heart health. Physical therapy providers work with their patients to gently increase their activity level, becoming more active over time. These exercises and activities naturally build into a sustainable routine that can keep seniors fitter and healthier as they continue to age.
Tips for Healthier Aging
Seniors get a lot of benefits from consistent action, even when their goals are small and more achievable. This isn’t a bad way to proceed, especially when they’re rebuilding strength, balance, and flexibility over time.
Working closely with physical therapy professionals to put together a plan that is easy to stick to ensures that seniors will make progress and keep meeting their goals.
Physical therapy doesn’t have to be something that seniors only turn to when they’ve been injured or sick. Physical therapists can work with seniors now, wherever they are in their fitness journey, to improve, regain independence, and become as strong as they can. All of this can pay off with big dividends down the line as seniors continue to age.
If you or someone you know needs Physical Therapy in St. Cloud, MN, contact Adara Home Health. We provide quality and affordable home care services for many fragile or senior members in the communities we serve. Call us at (888) 525-7742 for more information.