Annual Check-Up
"At HouseFit, Our Physical Therapy Team Is Excited To Offer An Annual Check-Up To Help Our Aging Community Better Manage Their Physical Health And Fitness Levels."
What Is A Physical Therapy Annual Check-Up?
It’s easier to understand when you compare it to something you’re already familiar with, an annual check-up with your physician. Every year you schedule a visit with your physician for an annual check-up. During that visit they will monitor and manage your medical health. When you have an Annual Check-up by a Physical Therapist, we focus on different areas including your balance, strength, endurance, flexibility, posture and your ability to move around on a day to day basis.
Physical Therapy Annual Check-up
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Physician Annual Check-up
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As you can see, both of these visits have a very different focus, which is why it’s important to make sure both are part of your annual health routine. If your physician notices your blood pressure is high, then they can make recommendations ranging from a heart healthy diet to exercise to medications to lowering your stress levels. If a Physical Therapist notices your balance is declining, we can recommend strength and balance exercises to improve your balance and decrease your risk of falls or even make recommendations on how to modify your home.
When Should I Schedule An Annual Check-Up At HouseFit?
According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), you should schedule a visit to see a Physical Therapist every year. As the cost of health care continues to soar, there is a shift towards preventative care. This shift is an attempt to identify issues or problem areas early on, so you can take steps to manage them right away.
Prevention is a much better choice than the alternative, which is to notice a problem (ex: poor balance) and ignore it or assume there is nothing you can do about it and let it continue to worsen with time. With this mindset, the issue will continue to grow bigger until it becomes a major problem (ex: hip fracture from a fall). Once you’ve traveled down this path, you know it takes more time, effort and energy to recover and manage the issue effectively.
Being proactive about managing your health is even more important as you age since you are at a higher risk for experiencing declines in your overall health and in your ability to move around. That’s where we come in…
Prevention is a much better choice than the alternative, which is to notice a problem (ex: poor balance) and ignore it or assume there is nothing you can do about it and let it continue to worsen with time. With this mindset, the issue will continue to grow bigger until it becomes a major problem (ex: hip fracture from a fall). Once you’ve traveled down this path, you know it takes more time, effort and energy to recover and manage the issue effectively.
Being proactive about managing your health is even more important as you age since you are at a higher risk for experiencing declines in your overall health and in your ability to move around. That’s where we come in…
We recommend an Annual Check-up for all older adults, but especially those who:
- Have noticed more trouble performing their daily activities (getting the mail, taking out the trash, walking up/down the basement stairs, doing their laundry).
- Have noticed they aren’t as steady on their feet anymore and are nervous about having a fall.
- Are having trouble doing the things you love to do (playing with your grandchildren, going to the ball game, going on vacation with enough energy to enjoy it).
What Are The Benefits For Me?
At HouseFit, we specialize in helping older adults maximize their independence and activity levels. There are certain things about aging that you cannot change - you do get older every day. But all of the other components of your physical health (balance, strength, endurance, posture and flexibility) and your independence with moving around can be improved with appropriate exercises!
The first step in this process is to identify what is weak or not working as well as it should be by having the Check-up. Then your therapist will design a program that’s customized just for you. We will discuss your activity goals and what you want to continue to be able to do or even better what you want to get back to doing again. We will send you home with an exercise program or answer questions about your current exercise routine. If you have several areas that need work, we may recommend some one-on-one Physical Therapy Sessions to help you stay active and independent.
The first step in this process is to identify what is weak or not working as well as it should be by having the Check-up. Then your therapist will design a program that’s customized just for you. We will discuss your activity goals and what you want to continue to be able to do or even better what you want to get back to doing again. We will send you home with an exercise program or answer questions about your current exercise routine. If you have several areas that need work, we may recommend some one-on-one Physical Therapy Sessions to help you stay active and independent.
What To Expect:
- Plan for 60 minutes one-on-one with one of our therapists
- Wear comfortable, supportive shoes and clothes that are easy to move around in for your visit.
- Plan to complete a short 1-page questionnaire upon arrival with basic healthcare information.
- Be ready to move as we perform 15 standard tests to assess your fitness
Ready To Start Your Path To Prevention?
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