Senior Falls
1 in 3 Seniors Will Fall This Year.
Physical Therapy Can Make Sure You're Not One of Them.
Falls are a big deal.
They can cause injuries and make it hard to live on your own. They can also make you afraid of falling again. This fear might make you less active, making you weaker and more likely to fall. It's a tough cycle to break. Falls aren't a normal part of aging. Physical therapy can reduce your risk and help you stay independent. Here are five ways your PT can help.
Creating a personalized exercise plan
Being active helps prevent falls. Your PT will create an exercise plan based on your needs and interests. This should be fun! Consider going on walks, dancing, aquatic exercise, or practicing yoga.
Making Your Home Safer
Many falls happen at home. Simple changes like removing tripping hazards and using night lights can make a significant difference. Your physical therapist can help you with these and recommend other modifications to make your home safer.
Strength and Balance Exercises
Strong muscles and good balance are vital to preventing falls. Your PT will show you specific exercises that help with both.
Addressing underlying health issues
Falls are often the result of multiple factors. Your PT can work with your other doctors to address things like vision problems, heart issues, incontinence, or diabetes that might make you more likely to fall.
Help you find community programs
Staying active is easier and more fun with others. Your PT can help you find group exercise classes or other programs in your area that will help you stay strong and independent.
Take the first step
If you're worried about falling or have already had a fall, don't wait to get help. Talk to your physical therapist. Falling isn't a normal part of getting older. With the right help, you can stay strong, maintain your balance, and keep doing the things you love. Physical therapy is a great way to ensure that you stay on your feet and remain active and independent. Take that first step towards better balance and a more active life. Your future self will thank you!
References
1. Exercise for falls and fracture prevention in long term care facilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(9):685-689.e2. a. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23860265/
2. Preventing Falls in Older Persons. Am Fam Physician. 2017 Aug 15;96(4):240-247. PMID: 28925664. a. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28925664/
3. The Effectiveness of Physical Therapist–Administered Group-Based Exercise on Fall Prevention: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy 36(4):p 182-193, October/December 2013. a. https://journals.lww.com/jgpt/fulltext/2013/10000/the_effectiveness_of_physical.5.asp x?casa_token=r5fLfvxztA0AAAAA:9yaeibFmZiCeIZiQcSOVcbWkWpA_8spTG-bNT2UFa D2Dc7tljHsv3VW5XfmnvIySLNwrJDd7aqnJTsfdHmRqK8
4. Exergame technology and interactive interventions for elderly fall prevention: A systematic literature review a. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003687016302265
5. Reducing the Risk of Falling and Injuries From Falls: Research on the Value of Physical Therapy a. apta-handout-falls-research.pdf
6. Physical Therapy Guide to Falls a. https://www.choosept.com/guide/physical-therapy-guide-falls
7. Fall Prevention Starts with a Conversation a. https://www.ncoa.org/article/falls-prevention-conversation-guide-for-caregivers
8. Balance and Falls a. https://www.apta.org/patient-care/public-health-population-care/balance-and-falls
Getting the Most Out of Your Workouts
Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. It can reduce your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes or cancer. It reduces your risk of stroke, dementia, osteoporosis, and obesity. Exercise also helps with your mood, sleep, and overall quality of life. Despite all of these benefits, most Americans don't get enough. According to the Department of Health, 80% of Americans don't meet the recommendations for physical activity. This is impacting our health. About half of American adults have a preventable chronic disease. The good news is that exercise has a positive impact on seven of the ten most common ones. That leads to the question: Are you getting enough activity? Here are the current guidelines:
● Preschool-aged children (ages 3 - 5) at least 3 hours of physical activity daily
● Children and adolescents (ages 6 - 17) at least 60 minutes of activity a day
● Adults 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly, and muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days
● Older adults (ages 65 and older) Same as the adults above with additional components added such as balance training If you're falling short on physical activity, you may not think of your PT as someone who can help, but you should! Physical therapists have extensive training in anatomy, physiology, and movement science. They can get anybody moving! Here are some great times to choose a PT to help with your fitness:
● You're recovering from an injury or surgery.
● You have pain or limitations that affect your movement.
● You have a chronic condition that affects your fitness, like arthritis.
● You need help improving your balance or preventing falls.
● You want a personalized program that addresses specific weaknesses or imbalances. Your PT can work with your physicians and medical team to ensure your workouts are safe. As you progress, they can also work with professionals like strength coaches or personal trainers to take your fitness to the next level. With your PT's guidance, you can address limitations, prevent injuries, and design a personalized program that keeps you motivated and moving towards a healthier you.
References
1) Building motivation and sustainability into the prescription and recommendations for physical activity and exercise therapy: The evidence, Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 25:5-6, 424-441, a. DOI: 10.1080/09593980902835344
2) The physical therapist’s role in physical activity promotion. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2009;43:99-101. a. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/2/99.citation-tools
3) Improving Adherence to Exercise: Do People With Knee Osteoarthritis and Physical Therapists Agree on the Behavioral Approaches Likely to Succeed?. a. Arthritis Care Res, 70: 388-397. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.23297
4) Periodization and physical therapy: Bridging the gap between training and rehabilitation a. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1466853X1500067X
Articles/Content:
1) Physical Activity Improves Your Health and Quality of Life a. https://www.choosept.com/video/physical-activity-improves-health-quality-life
2) Home Exercise From a Physical Therapist a. https://www.choosept.com/video/home-exercises-floor-mat
3) Tips to Avoid Overtraining a. https://www.choosept.com/health-tips/tips-avoid-overtraining-injuries
Finding Balance: Dizziness and PT
Dizziness is common in people over 20 and it can be a big problem in your daily life. Feeling unsteady, lightheaded, or like the room is spinning is alarming, and makes day to day tasks difficult. The good news is that dizziness often has treatable causes, and your physical therapist can be the perfect person to help.
Understanding Dizziness
Dizziness isn't a specific problem - it's a symptom that can come from a lot of different issues. Feeling dizzy most commonly comes from issues with your inner ear, but it can also come from your vision, joint or muscle issues in your neck, migraines, changes in blood pressure, head injuries, or other neurological problems.
How Physical Therapists Help
To understand dizziness and how a PT can help, you have to know a little about how balance works. Your brain uses information from your inner ears, your vision, and input from your joints about their position and movement to keep you balanced and stable. Typically all of this information paints the same picture for your brain. If your brain gets conflicting information - say your inner ear sends different information than vision and your joints - that often results in a feeling of dizziness, unsteadiness, or vertigo. Your physical therapist will ask questions about your history, then perform testing on all of the systems that help you stay balanced to figure out the cause of your dizziness. Your treatment plan will vary depending on what your PT finds. Some typical examples include:
● Exercises: Your PT may prescribe specific exercises to improve your balance, strengthen or stretch specific muscles, or to help retrain your brain to interpret sensory information. These can include gaze stabilization exercises which help your eyes and inner ears work better together, habituation exercises that help your brain get used to different types of input, and balance training on different surfaces.
● Canalith repositioning maneuvers (CRM): If your dizziness is caused by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a specific type of inner ear problem, your therapist may perform maneuvers to reposition tiny crystals within your ear canal, alleviating your vertigo. They can also teach you how to do these at home.
● Education: Your therapist will educate you about your condition, how to manage dizziness, and exercises you can perform at home. They may also help you modify activities that cause dizziness, or train you on ways to work through it.
Dizziness doesn't have to interfere with life. Physical therapists can help reduce your dizziness, improve your balance, lower your risk of falls, and improve your confidence in your daily activities.
References:
1. Cervicogenic Dizziness: A Review of Diagnosis and Treatment
a. https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2000.30.12.755
2. Physical therapy interventions for older people with vertigo, dizziness and balance disorders addressing mobility and participation: a systematic review. BMC Geriatr 20, 494 (2020).
a. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01899-9
3. Vestibular Rehabilitation for Peripheral Vestibular Hypofunction: An Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline: FROM THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION NEUROLOGY SECTION. J Neurol Phys Ther. 2016 Apr;40(2):124-55. doi: 10.1097/NPT.0000000000000120. PMID: 26913496; PMCID: PMC4795094
a. 10.1097/NPT.0000000000000120
4. Between Cognitive Assessment and Balance Measures in Adolescents Referred for Vestibular Physical Therapy After Concussion. Clin J Sport Med. 2016 Jan;26(1):46-52.
a. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4856020/
5. Physical Therapy lowers falls by 68% after Dizziness
6. Physical Therapy Guide to Dizziness
a. https://www.choosept.com/guide/physical-therapy-guide-vertigo
7. Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy
a. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/15298-vestibular-rehabilitation
Relief Through Movement: Physical Therapy for Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can be a debilitating condition, limiting your mobility and impacting your daily life. The CDC estimates that around 50 million Americans experience chronic pain, and 17 million have substantial reductions in activity because of pain. Beyond limiting activity or your ability to work, chronic pain has been linked to depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and substance abuse.
Chronic pain can be a debilitating condition, limiting your mobility and impacting your daily life. The CDC estimates that around 50 million Americans experience chronic pain, and 17 million have substantial reductions in activity because of pain. Beyond limiting activity or your ability to work, chronic pain has been linked to depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and substance abuse.
Chronic pain is complex. There’s no single intervention to treat it, but physical therapy should be part of the mix. Here’s why:
How PT Approaches Pain: Physical therapy often provides relief that’s just as effective as medication but without the potential side effects. Here's a breakdown of how PT tackles pain and its effectiveness:
Identify the Root Cause: PT goes a step further than medication that masks pain. Therapists assess your posture, muscle strength, flexibility, and joint mechanics to pinpoint the source of your discomfort.
Address the Underlying Issues: Based on the evaluation, PT focuses on strengthening weak muscles that support your joints, improving flexibility for a better range of motion, and correcting any imbalances or postural problems that might contribute to pain.
Use A Multi-Faceted Approach: A PT treatment plan will be customized based on the evaluation. In addition to therapeutic exercise, a PT might use various techniques. Examples include:
· Manual Therapy: PTs use massage, joint mobilization, and trigger point therapy to address muscle tension, improve circulation, and alleviate pain.
· Modalities: Techniques like ultrasound, heat therapy, or electrical stimulation can reduce inflammation, promote healing, and manage pain.
· Aquatic Therapy: A warm, therapeutic pool supports your body and joints while offering gentle resistance. This can often make it easier to start moving again after being in pain for an extended time.
Educate and Empower Patients: PTs equip you with the knowledge and tools to manage your pain independently. This might include learning a new exercise routine, how to modify activities, or how to modify your daily schedule when you’re feeling better (or worse) than normal. It’s also becoming increasingly likely that you’ll learn how pain works. Research shows that combining pain education with physical therapy is an effective treatment.
If you're struggling with chronic pain, call your physical therapist. They might have the key that will unlock a pain-free life.
References:
1. Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2019–2021 | MMWR (cdc.gov)
2. The impact of combining pain education strategies with physical therapy interventions for patients with chronic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 37:4, 461-472 DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2019.1633714
3. Preferred Communication Strategies Used by Physical Therapists in Chronic Pain Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis, Physical Therapy, Volume 102, Issue 9, September 2022, pzac081 Preferred Communication Strategies Used by Physical Therapists in Chronic Pain Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis - PubMed (nih.gov)
4. The Influence of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Pain, Quality of Life, and Depression in Patients Receiving Physical Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1016/j.pmrj.2018.09.029