Prevention

09 Oct Prevention

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – Benjamin Franklin

I am very passionate about prevention. As a physical therapist, my job is to not only help people recover from injury and illness, but also to educate on preventing them from happening in the first place (or from getting worse). I advocate for people to age well, be able to stay in their homes as long as possible, remain active, and to decrease fall risk, especially with aging and mobility related challenges.

Prevention doesn’t have to be a dirty word. It doesn’t have to mean limiting freedom. Yes, it might take some behavioral and lifestyle changes, but small changes can make a big difference! Prevention is about safeguarding your body’s ability to function well. This is done through diet, maintaining strength, flexibility, balance, and the use of devices as needed. It helps build resilience, so you are less vulnerable to injury, pain, or loss of mobility.

Why Prevention Matters

Decreases your risk of health problems, like pressure sores or heart attack.

Healthier diet to decrease sugar and increase fruit, veggies, grains, and protein.

Decreases your risk for falls.

Maintains strength for functional movement like standing up from a chair or lifting plates into the cabinet.

Maintains flexibility to allow you to reach your feet for dressing and bathing, joint health, managing pain, and circulation.

Challenges your balance to improve safety with sudden movements, walking on uneven surfaces, stepping over obstacles, or negotiating steps.

Maintains your mood, cognition, and mental health.

Why Staying Active Matters

Activity helps maintain strength, flexibility, balance, and quality of life as you age. It helps you feel happier and more engaged in life.

The CDC has guidelines for activity throughout life. It doesn’t matter if you are 20 or 95, you still need to move to keep your body and mind healthy. They recommend 150 min of moderate activity a week and strength training 2 times per week. Moderate activity means activity that raises your heart rate 50-60% above resting heart rate, you should be breathing hard but still able to talk. Start where you are. It might mean walking to the kitchen and back a couple times a day. Maybe it’s doing exercises in bed or while sitting in the chair. There are a lot of different exercise videos online for all levels, or for more personalized exercise program see a physical therapist or trainer. There are chair yoga and group exercise classes at your local gym or senior center. There are several nationally recognized programs for seniors and the elderly to increase strength and balance, and to manage specific diagnoses.

Check out the resource page on our website for links.

I love the idea that prevention means that we may have some control over our outcomes. Not everything can be prevented, but WE have the power to decrease our risk. It might take a little extra work, but we can be aware of our diet, start strengthening our muscles, and work on our range of motion and balance to improve ease and safety of movement and allow us to stay independent longer.

Incorporating small, manageable changes in your daily routine now can make a significant difference in how you move and feel later.