We do not stop moving because we grow old….we grow old because we stop moving!

Exercise provides important benefits for the aging body. Exercise, for the older adult, is an essential way to stay active and healthy. Nobody is ever too old to incorporate exercise into the daily routine and it is also never too late to reap the rewards. Even if you have never been one to exercise in the past, getting started now can help your golden years last longer, and can help you live stronger.

Performing regular physical activity and adhering to a nutritious diet can help increase muscle mass, maintain a healthy body weight, prevent or delay diabetes and heart trouble, and reduce depression, anxiety and arthritis pain. It is also important in helping senior citizens maintain their independence. Exercising 30 minutes per day on most days, preferably each day, is a great way to help the body age gracefully and more healthfully.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons advises that regular exercise for the elderly helps maintain balance and posture, improve strength, endurance and flexibility, and maintains muscle mass and tone. Resistance Training reduces muscle loss; maintain strength and increases bone mineral density. It is also good for the body’s joints and for building stronger, more resilient muscles.

Our physical therapists provide screenings, examinations, evaluations, intervention, individualized home-exercise program, and education to promote senior wellness by:

• Diagnosing movement-related health conditions that decrease a person’s ability to move throughout the day
• Developing personal fitness and wellness programs that enable one to live a healthy and active life

Westwood Physical Therapy can help seniors take an active role in maintaining health and reducing health risks by developing a personal fitness and wellness program that enables one to live a healthy and active life.