Health

How Physical Therapy Helps Older Adults

After an injury or prolonged illness, physical therapy may be recommended to help you regain strength and mobility. But you may not realize that physical therapy can also help with many other conditions that commonly affect older people. “The benefits of physical therapy extend well beyond helping people regain movement and strength after injury or illness,” explains UAB Associate Professor of Physical Therapy David Morris, PT, MS, PhD. “Physical therapy can help older adults to improve their everyday function and overall quality of life — whether they are completely healthy or living with one or more chronic conditions that reduce mobility and strength.”

Goals of Physical Therapy

Licensed physical therapists are educated to diagnose and treat movement problems. “We develop personalized treatment programs based on each patient’s needs and abilities,” adds Dr. Morris. Generally, the primary goals of physical therapy include:

• Promoting movement
• Reducing pain
• Restoring function
• Preventing movement problems and disability in the future

“Another important goal is to retrain patients to do everyday tasks,” Dr. Morris explains. “We teach people how to self-manage their movement problems, and we equip them with exercises that focus on injury prevention.”

Conditions Helped by Therapy

Dr. Morris says that injuries related to falls are one of the most common reasons older adults are referred to physical therapy. “Receiving timely therapy after a fall can be a critical factor in helping older adults maintain functional ability and independence,” he adds. Physical therapy can also help older adults suffering from limitations related to the following conditions:

• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Chronic pain associated with cancer or other conditions
• Movement problems related to stroke
• Parkinson’s disease
• Hip and knee replacement
• Balance and strength problems

“Many older adults don’t realize that physical therapy is also focused on preventing injury and helping to maintain and improve strength, range of motion, flexibility, and coordination,” observes Dr. Morris. “Physical therapists can design fitness programs for older adults interested in preventing injury and maintaining strength, mobility, and wellness.” Dr. Morris emphasizes that physical therapy has an important role in the lives of older adults — whether they currently have movement problems or want to prevent them in the future.