Physical Therapy Insider

How increased mobility can assist with aging

In your fifties and beyond, every passing day can bring new creaks, stiffness, and the urge to grab the elevator rather than take the stairs. Some of these changes are a natural part of aging, but experts say we can slow down the process with a little movement. More often than not, not being active enough is keeping us from living the lives we want.

For adults 55 and older, physical therapy can be an important tool not only for recovering from an injury or surgery, but also for maintaining strength, improving balance, and addressing movement limitations before they become bigger obstacles.

“The biggest threat that’s there amongst most people is a lack of mobility,” says Ben Fuson, doctor of physical therapy at Superior Physical Therapy. “They don’t realize that. They just have pain. It gets to the painful level, and it’s really that they’ve lost mobility or they’re not moving as much as they did 10 years before.”

Shoulder and rotator cuff problems, balance issues, and recovery from joint replacement surgeries are among the concerns Fuson commonly sees. However, the issue that brought the patient into the office is rarely the main problem. The underlying issue is often more complicated.

At Pure Form Physical Therapy and Wellness, owner Julia Otwell takes a similar whole-body approach. A painful knee, for example, may not be a knee problem alone.

“While structural changes like severe arthritis many times require medical or surgical intervention, arthritis is rarely the whole story,” Otwell says. “Often, the knee is painful because the joints above or below it isn’t moving well or carrying their fair share of the load.”

According to Otwell, improving mobility in the hips and ankles and strengthening the muscles that support the knee can make a big impact. The goal is to give the body the support it needs to move comfortably.

Adjust Your Mindset

It’s easy to attribute stiffness, reduced flexibility, or loss of balance to age. Fuson encourages people not to assume those changes are permanent. He points to everyday activities that can become unexpectedly difficult: turning to look behind you while backing out of a driveway, reaching a high shelf, or getting down on the floor and back up again.

“Stiffness, not moving, and weakness are all things that can change,” Fulson explains. “The same goes for balance.”

Even an arthritis diagnosis doesn’t automatically mean a person will be forced to live with pain or limited movement. While some conditions require medical intervention, physical therapy can help people improve how they move and build strength around affected joints.

Another reason to seek help sooner rather than later is the body’s ability to compensate. When one area isn’t working properly, other parts of the body may pick up the slack. Over time, those adjustments can become habitual, potentially contributing to additional discomfort or limitations.

“The longer you wait, the harder it is for those compensations to become undone,” Fuson says.

Small Movement, Meaningful Results

Maintaining mobility doesn’t necessarily require an elaborate workout routine or a gym membership. Both therapists emphasize the importance of regular movement, strength, and consistency.

Otwell recommends finding activities that bring enjoyment, whether walking, joining a fitness class, or working with a personal trainer. Group classes can offer an added benefit: accountability and community. For people who aren’t sure where to start, a physical therapist can help establish a safe, manageable plan based on individual abilities and goals.

Fuson also recommends walking, along with exercises that build strength and balance. One simple option is practicing sit-to-stands from a sturdy chair, which works many of the same muscles involved in squatting and getting up from a seated position.

Balance can be incorporated into everyday routines, too. Fuson suggests what he calls “toothbrush exercises”: practicing standing on one leg while brushing your teeth, with a hand near a countertop for support. (Anyone with significant balance concerns should choose exercises appropriate to their abilities and use support to reduce the risk of falling.)

Strength training is especially important as people age, Fuson says, because it supports not only movement and muscular strength but also bone health and bone density.

Otwell encourages people to remember that exercise doesn’t have to be intense or done like the fitness gurus on Instagram.

“An exercise plan does not have to be perfect to be effective,” she says. “Consistency will always beat out perfection.”

Another habit worth changing is sitting for long, uninterrupted periods. Otwell recommends incorporating what she calls “movement snacks” throughout the day: short walks, quick stretches, or simply changing positions.

“Our bodies love to move, and they thrive on variety,” she says.

Get in Before It Hurts

One of the biggest misconceptions about physical therapy is that a person must be injured or experiencing significant pain before making an appointment. Both therapists stress that’s not the case.

Fuson compares preventative physical therapy to visiting the dentist for a routine cleaning. Rather than waiting until something hurts, people can check in to identify potential problems and address them early.

“You don’t have to be in pain to come into PT,” he says. “Some of the most valuable things that PTs do is that preventative side of it.”

A movement assessment may reveal stiffness, weakness, or balance concerns a person hasn’t yet recognized as a problem. Addressing those issues early can help people remain active and potentially avoid more significant setbacks.

At Pure Form, Otwell begins with a 75-minute initial evaluation, allowing time to discuss a patient’s health history and goals, assess movement, provide hands-on treatment, and develop a plan. Whether someone arrives with a specific ache or simply wants to move better, the goal is to understand how the body functions as a whole and identify opportunities for improvement.

Treatment frequency varies depending on the person's needs. Otwell says a preventative movement checkup may take just one or two sessions, while a chronic or long-standing problem may require physical therapy once or twice a week for six to eight weeks. (People may notice improvements earlier, she adds.)

Putting in the Work at Home

Physical therapy also requires work outside the clinic. Fuson emphasizes that home exercises are an essential part of treatment because appointments represent only a small fraction of a person’s week. Learning why exercise matters and practicing it consistently can help patients build skills they can use long after treatment ends.

The value of physical therapy isn’t measured only by reduced pain or a stronger muscle. It can also mean maintaining the ability to travel, garden, play with grandchildren, navigate stairs, or continue participating in favorite activities.

For those who have become less active or feel intimidated by exercise, the first step can be modest. A short daily walk, a few minutes of stretching, or a conversation with a physical therapist can help establish a starting point.

If walking or everyday activities cause pain, or if balance, strength, or mobility are noticeably declining, it’s worth discussing those changes with a health care professional rather than assuming they’re simply part of getting older. Fuson’s advice is straightforward: don’t wait too long to address a problem…and keep moving.

Otwell offers a similar reminder to anyone wondering whether it's too late to start taking better care of their body. “Trust that your body is remarkably adaptable and capable of getting stronger at any age,” she says.

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