• Loss of muscle mass
• Decreased bone mass
• Loss of elasticity of the tendons and ligaments resulting in an increased risk of tears
• Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common complaint in the aging athlete population. Studies have shown that exercise can reduce pain in individuals suffering from OA. Research shows that regular exercise can slow down and even reverse many of the physical consequences of aging.

There are ways to help the aging athlete prevent injury:

1. Modify your sport regularly to allow your body to rest from the same continuous wear and tear pattern
2. Maintain flexibility in your muscles and joints, which is important in preventing muscle and other soft tissue tears
3. Continue to strengthen and condition your muscles. This enables your body to better absorb repetitive impact.
4. At Austin Preferred Spine & Sports Rehab our goal is to keep you active and healthy for years to come.

Discuss your exercise goals with us. We can help prescribe an appropriate training program tailored to your goals, analyze your movement patterns to correct flawed form, and thereby prevent injury.

The post Ways to help the aging athlete prevent injury appeared first on .

At Austin Preferred Physical Therapy, our Physical Therapists will perform an evaluation to determine if your pain is due to a muscle imbalance in your leg, joint stiffness, muscle weakness or poor body mechanics. Your Physical Therapist will then tailor a rehabilitation program to fit your specific needs and goals. You will also receive education on how to limit the stress placed on your injured joint to relieve pain.

If a joint replacement surgery cannot be avoided, working with a Physical Therapist at Austin Preferred prior to your surgery will help prepare you for what to expect after surgery.

Why is Physical Therapy important after total joint replacement surgery?

A sound exercise program will increase the successful function of your new joint. Inadequate strength or range of motion after surgery may leave people with limited walking ability or residual pain. Progression of flexibility and strengthening exercises must take place according to guidelines determined by the specific procedure that was performed by your doctor. Certain procedures require limitations in how much you will be permitted to bend your leg or how much weight you may place through your leg to allow healing to take place.

At Austin Preferred, your Physical Therapist will prescribe exercises that focus on safely developing the strength of the leg, hip and trunk muscles, in addition to helping you gain optimal flexibility. Neuromuscular control plays an important role in coordinating the activity of the leg muscles for balance. Thus, we add a component of balance training to the rehabilitation program to improve muscle co-ordination and movement patterns. We also aim to limit the effect post-surgical scar tissue has on your ability to move your limb, and correct any muscle imbalances caused by surgery.

At Austin Preferred Spine and Sports Rehab, our physical therapists can help you recover faster and stronger after your total joint surgery. We spend one on one time with our patients ensuring that they are doing their exercises correctly. Technique is everything. If you have any questions with regards to our post-op program please call our office at 512.442.2727.

The post Avoid Joint Replacement appeared first on .