Age is just a number! However, sometimes as we age, we may find we need to work a little harder to do the things we have always been able to do. Our balance, strength, and mobility become less reliable with age. Sadly, it’s when we suddenly find ourselves at the end of a painful fall that we remember just how important proper balance and dynamic stability is.
Aging is a normal process! However, as we continue to move through the normal aging process, there are many natural changes that take place within our joints and muscle fibers. Our strength, endurance, and mobility begin to decline and as a result, we begin to move less and less. But did you know the most simple and free way to lessen these natural aging effects? The answer is to keep moving and exercise regularly. Remember, “if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
You may find it harder for you to perform daily activities such as the ability to:
Get in/out of bed
Get dressed
Get up from a chair
Get on/off the toilet
Pick something up off the floor
Reach for a cup on the top shelf of the cabinet
Carry the laundry over to the machine
Carry the groceries
Get in/out of the car
Get in/out of the shower
Walk the dog
Walk tot he mailbox to get the mail
There is a lot that is involved in performing these activities such as mobility, motor planning, balance, proprioception, spatial awareness, strength, eccentric control, and visual tracking. As we get older, there are a lot of changes that take place within our bodies, especially within our joints and muscle fibers. This may impact the speed at which your brain is able to send a signal to your body in order for you to produce the movements you were once able to without difficulty. Functional Independence Training can help retrain these neuromuscular connections which will allow you to better perform these daily functional activities.
Are you currently struggling with a loss of balance which may be leading to frequent falls?
You may find while walking from one room to the other you are reaching for the wall or furniture in order to help guide you. You may find that you are falling more or you are reaching out to catch yourself before you fall.
Proprioception refers to the sense of knowing where your body is located in space which is how we are able to stand still or move our bodies on a daily basis. Proprioception is mediated by receptors and neurons within the joints, muscles, and tendons. Studies show that proprioception is affected by age and a decline in lower-limb proprioception has been associated with balance difficulties.
Through Physical Therapy we can assist you in retraining these connections and therefore improve your proprioception and balance. We can also guide you through safe and efficient ways to navigate your daily environment.
Our specialized therapists’ at F.I.T. PT will show you what is safe for your body, what is best for your body, and the appropriate way to perform these activities and exercises while guiding you toward safe and efficient participation in the activities you love!
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