Are you worried about how getting older is affecting your health? Have you put off taking care of yourself and now find your aches and pains seem to be limiting what you can do?
At FYZICAL, our physical therapists can address your overall health and guide you back to feeling good again! As we age, our bodies become more susceptible to certain health risks, causing us to slow down and risk additional problems. We begin to notice the wear and tear that has developed throughout the years is limiting more and more of our everyday activities.
Age brings a higher risk of chronic diseases such as dementia, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and cancer. In adults 60 and older, these chronic conditions lead to serious illness, disability, and death. Luckily, physical therapy can help improve some of the health conditions that your body may experience with age.
If you are looking for solutions, FYZICAL can help! Call our office today for more information.
What are the most common age-related health conditions?
Aging can certainly seem daunting, as it brings with it a slew of possible health issues. According to the World Health Organization, between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%. It is important to know what challenges to look out for when you reach age 60 and above.
For most older adults, good health ensures independence, yet far too many struggle every day with health and safety challenges such as chronic disease, falls, and mental health issues. All of these conditions can severely impact your quality of life.
Some common health issues people face as they age include chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and diabetes, which can have a significant impact on your health and function.
Normal aging causes changes to our sensory system (i.e., eyes, ears, touch, taste, and smell) and changes to muscle strength and fat makeup. There are many regular age-related changes in the immune system, including a chronic inflammatory state and changes to our bowel and bladder function.
One of the most important considerations is how aging affects our cognitive health. Significant changes to our psychological and cognitive function lead to conditions like dementia/Alzheimer’s and depression. These types of health risks impair one’s memory, making it difficult to remember and recall as quickly as they used to, in addition to hindering the ability to learn new things.
Our physical function is affected due to the changes in our muscles and joints. This leads to an expected reduction in our walking speed and overall mobility decline. Unfortunately, these changes also make us more susceptible to falls. Falls are the leading cause of injury among older adults.
Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5732407/ • https:// www.ncoa.org/article/the-top-10-most-common-chronic-conditions-in-older adults •https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health
Contact our FYZICAL clinic today so we can help you LOVE YOUR LIFE!
Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0894113017302818
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32365314/
https://academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article/45/5/577/1788575
Orthopedic Rehabilitation
Balance & Vestibular Therapy
Hand & Upper Extremity Therapy
Workers’ Comp & Auto Injuries