With age, aspects of your physical health begin to change. Both your muscles and your bones have a tendency to become weaker and more brittle over time. That means that not only are you more likely to fall, falls have a greater chance of seriously hurting you.
However, you don’t have to take aging lying down. With physician-supervised physical rehabilitation, you can keep your muscles and bones strong and your joints limber, reducing your risk of falls and chronic pain conditions.
Nothing can really keep you young forever, but with physical rehabilitation, we at Elevate Medical can help you take control of your aging. Terry Smith, DC, and Ryan Smith, DC, treat patients at our office in Littleton, Colorado, and can advise you on the best course of therapies to keep you healthy and hearty as you enter your golden years.
Reduced pain for increased function
Pain often results from muscle weakness, inactivity, and injury. As you age, you might find pain increasingly limits what you want to do and how you spend your time.
Additionally, chronic conditions like arthritis can cause severe pain and irritating, nagging discomfort, further demotivating you from getting out and about. With physical rehabilitation, you can relieve your arthritis symptoms, lessening the impact of the condition on your quality of life.
The stretches and strengthening activities used in physical rehab can help keep your pain at bay. With strengthened muscles, you can take pressure off your vulnerable joints and spine, removing a major cause of physical pain. And, when you’re not worried about physical pain, you can stay active, doing the things you want to do every day without fear.
Better balance, coordination for increased activity
With the exercises involved in physical rehabilitation, you gain several types of physical benefit. Potential positive impacts of physical rehab include:
- Restored or increased strength
- Increased range of motion
- Improved flexibility, coordination, and endurance
- Improved balance
- Reduced risk of falling
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every week for optimum health, as well as at least two sessions of muscle-strengthening exercises in the same period. Not only will physical rehabilitation help keep you moving, during treatment your sessions will count toward this weekly total!
Protection from chronic disease
Staying in shape can also help you deal with other health risks that come with aging. Sufficient physical activity can help protect you from health issues such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. And, when you’re in good physical shape, you can recover more quickly and completely from falls, illnesses, and even surgeries.
We often prescribe post-surgery physical rehabilitation to decrease your risk of blood clots and improve your strength, mobility, and flexibility.
To get started on your physical rehabilitation journey, contact Elevate Medical today. Our team can recommend the right exercises and provide any support you may need along the way. Book your initial consultation over the phone or by using the online booking tool.