Remaining physically active as the aging process takes its course is a key way of staying limber and staving off various illnesses, according to a published report.
The health benefits to running, bicycling, swimming and conducting workouts at the gym also help people preserve their weight, St. Louis Today reports. There are safe ways of preserving health as people age, according to a woman who holds a physical therapy job.
"If we have the privilege of living beyond 40 or 50 years, we can't turn our back on time," physical therapist Maureen Blackburn with St. Anthony's Medical Center's outpatient clinic told the news source. "A physical therapist understands the stages of healing. Soft tissues repair at a certain rate, and starting exercises too soon can delay healing. We learn to gradually add force to an exercise without harming."
Pulling muscles and tearing tendons are two examples of possible dangers that come with exercise. Not properly warming up and incorrectly performing the exercises also are risks.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapists help patients' recovery from injuries and operations by increasing range of motion and managing pain.