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Help To Stay Moving
By
Joan Wright |
 Norwell
- October is the perfect month for apple picking and
nature walks or for reseeding lawns, raking leaves and
putting gardens to bed. But if care is not taken when
participating in these activities, more than the garden
might be put to bed!
So, not surprisingly, October is National Physical Therapy
Month and hosts Bone and Joint National Action Week, October
12th to 20th. Musculoskeletal injuries and diseases account
for more than one-half of chronic conditions in people over
age 50.
Sprains, strains and twists are the most frequent causes for
trips to the emergency room or doctor’s office. Falls
account for more than 64 percent of nonfatal injuries in
people over age 65 (Center for Disease Control 2011 report).
Knee and back pain are Baby Boomers’ most frequent
musculoskeletal complaints.
For those who don’t exercise regularly, that nature walk or
leaf raking may leave them feeling twisted, strained and
favoring their backs. Even those in shape will find that
some activities will awaken muscles not often taxed and thus
“feel it” the next day.
It’s important, therefore, to incorporate exercises into the
daily regimen to strengthen ankles and wrists, lower backs
and neck muscles. Exercise has its obvious benefits, but
perhaps most noteworthy are that it 1) decreases the risk of
falling, 2) improves bone mass and strength, 3) enhances
muscle strength, 4) improves balance and 5) advances
cardiovascular fitness.
Physical therapists are wonderful teachers in showing how to
use proper body mechanics when doing various activities. The
website www.moveforwardpt.com offers a variety of tips from
physical therapists for everyday activities, from lifting
with the legs and not the back, to bending at the knees when
pulling weeds, to contracting the abdominal muscles to
lessen the strain on the back. These are simple tips to
counteract what is often forgotten when caught up in the
hurry to get things done.
Physical therapists are also invaluable at helping people
repair and restore those muscles they’ve pulled and strained
when they’ve either done it wrong or overdone it. Their
interventions can significantly improve mobility, help
manage pain and, in some cases, provide an alternative to
surgery.
The already mentioned www.moveforwardpt. com website
includes many videos that demonstrate the benefits of
physical therapy. The American Physical Therapy Association,
at www.apta.org, is another good source of information. Your
physician can recommend a physical therapist if you need
one. There are physical therapy clinics as well as physical
therapists who provide home visits through visiting nurse
associations and home care agencies.
People are becoming increasingly sedentary with technology
advancing in every aspect of their lives. Their fingers and
thumbs are often the only things getting exercised. To avoid
the injuries that too often turn into chronic conditions,
it’s essential to get up and move, however and whenever
possible.
Exercising can be as simple as a morning walk through the
neighborhood, shoulder rolls and neck stretches in the
shower, ankle rotations under the desk at work or leg lifts
while watching television.
The point is, keep moving in order to keep moving! And, if
needed, a physical therapist can help you stay on the move. |
About The Author
Joan Wright,
CMC, a certified geriatric care manager, is a member of
Norwell VNA and Hospice’s Alzheimer’s care specialty team
and geriatric care management team. She co-facilitates NVNA
and Hospice’s support groups for caregivers of early, mid
and late stage Alzheimer’s. For more information on NVNA and
Hospice and all of its programs, call (781) 659-2342 or
visit www.nvna.org.
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