According to the National Council of aging, falls are the leading cause of fatal injury in older adults and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma related hospital admissions.
Physical Therapists can have great success in preventing and treating older adults to prevent these types of accidents. One vital sign to be aware of is one’s gait speed. The slower your gait speed the more risk there is of falling. According to the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, gait speed can also predict the general health status of an aging adult and their functional decline. Your gait speed can be assessed correctly by a Physical Therapist and a personal exercise plan will be put in place to minimize the risk of you tripping and falling. Spending a session or two per week for 4 to 8 weeks with your Physical Therapist will improve the quality of your life and decrease the risk of falling. Having a Physical Therapist implement an exercise plan with you will also minimize hospitalization stays if a fall does occur.
It has been suggested by the World Health Organization that older adults try to achieve at least 45 minutes, three to four days of the week doing moderate, aerobic physical activity. Not only will your physical strength improve but your lung function and balance will greatly strengthen. At the same time it has been shown to have positive effects on high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and overall functional health in older adults.
Regular workouts with your physical therapist can help older adults live stronger, longer healthier lives.
The following points are just a few things your Physical Therapist will help you with:
- Balance Training
- Walking and moving safely
- Strength training
- Pain management
- Overall Education of your body
Your Physical Therapist can guide you through this new phase of learning to strengthen and adjust your body movements to cope with the effects of aging.
We hope the above information has been helpful and we are available to answer any further questions should you wish to contact us:
2300 Westwood Blvd STE. 100,
Los Angeles , CA 90064
TELEPHONE: 424 365 2083
FAX: 310 943 3532
EMAIL: jfptoffice@gmail.com