Physical Therapy for the Elderly

For the elderly population, illness can quickly affect physical stability and cause deterioration in walking. Alternatively, a decline in physical function can cause deterioration in health and quality of life. Therefore, physical therapy interventions are an essential aspect of health care delivery. Exercise and other therapeutic treatments provide options to address inactivity, muscle weakness, and specific physical and medical problems. Using these techniques, the physical therapist is able to improve function, optimize safety, and ameliorate painful or dysfunctional conditions.