Flexibility may be increased by doing stretching exercises, which can allow you to more easily engage in activities that require greater flexibility. Flexibility activities are an appropriate part of a physical activity program, although it has not been determined that flexibility activities will reduce your risk of injury. Care should be taken with regards to techniques designed to increase flexibility because without proper instruction, stretching can lead to injury.
In older adults at risk of falls, strong evidence shows that regular physical activity is safe and reduces this risk. Programs that include balance and moderate-intensity muscle-strengthening activities for 90 minutes a week plus moderate-intensity walking for about an hour a week can help reduce falls. Balance training with a physical therapist can improve your balance and decrease your risk for falls.
Strength training, which includes resistance training and lifting weights, causes the body’s muscles to work or hold against an applied force or weight. It is important to work all the major muscle groups of the body – the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms. In addition, weight-bearing activity, such as running, brisk walking, and weight-lifting, produces a force on the bones that promotes bone growth and strength. It is recommended that a muscle strength training, or muscle resistance, training program be done at least twice per week.
Aerobic activities are physical activities in which people move their large muscles in a rhythmic manner for a sustained period, such as running, brisk walking, and bicycling. Aerobic activity makes a person’s heart beat more rapidly to meet the demands of the body’s movement. Over time, regular aerobic activity makes the heart and cardiovascular system stronger and fitter. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity or an equivalent combination each week.
¹ Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee. Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Report, 2008. Washington, DC: U.S., Department of Health and Human Services, 2008.
Physical Therapists – Your Partners in Health
Physical therapists are experts in human movement. They are highly-educated and licensed health care professionals who understand how the body works and how to get you moving again. They know how to manage four of the body’s major systems – musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular/pulmonary, and integumentary (skin) – to restore and maximize mobility.
Whether you are living with diabetes, recovering from a stroke, a fall or a sports injury, a physical therapist is a trusted health care professional who will work closely with you to evaluate your condition and develop an effective, personalized plan of care. A physical therapist can help you achieve long-term results for many conditions, such as repetitive stress injuries, arthritis, back and neck pain and poor posture. They can even help you prevent an injury altogether.
If you are looking for a possible alternative to surgery and/or pain medication, consider a physical therapist. In almost every state, you may see a physical therapist without a referral from a physician first. Find a physical therapist near you and move forward!