Skip to main content

Based on current COVID-19 positivity rates, visitation is allowed until further notice.
Call (631) 548-6853 or click here for more information.

Please be aware that our Manorville immediate care facility will be closing at 6pm on Friday 3/29.

How Physical Therapy Helps in Treating Osteoporosis

Jan 14, 2019

How-Physical-Therapy-Helps-in-Treating-Osteoporosis_IMAGE1.jpeg

Physical therapy, or the management of movement and pain to address different bodily ailments, can help you recover after an orthopedic injury. While it may not necessarily heal you, it's a good accompaniment to treatment by orthopedic care specialists in Suffolk County, NY at Peconic Bay Medical Center.

Whether you're losing tissues in your joints, have a bone fracture, or have multiple injury sites after a car accident, an orthopedic clinic can manage your injuries and help you find relief.

Physical therapy is an important part of the healing process, especially for osteoporosis. Here are the numerous ways in which physical therapy is an important part of treatment.

Osteoporosis: An Overview

Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which loss or low production of bone tissue makes your bones weak or brittle. People who suffer from osteoporosis are more likely to develop fractures, lose their balance, or have difficulty with certain everyday tasks like getting out of bed. This common condition can occur suddenly or progressively as you age. An orthopedic hand surgeon and other orthopedists can treat osteoporosis through several methods. However, they may also recommend that you visit a physical therapist.

Your First Visit

When you first visit with a physical therapist—likely due to your orthopedic doctor's referral—they'll first take note of your basic information. Your age, gender, fitness level, prior injuries, and the overall extent of your osteoporosis are important to your physical therapist. They'll use this information to formulate a plan of therapy that's appropriate for your specific needs. No two patients will undergo the exact same therapy plan for this reason, even other patients with osteoporosis.

How-Physical-Therapy-Helps-in-Treating-Osteoporosis_IMAGE2.jpeg

Common Forms of Physical Therapy

Physical therapists will use many proven-successful therapies to treat your specific form of osteoporosis. Common therapies include bone-strengthening exercises, like weight training. Don't worry, your therapist won't force you to hoist a barbell over your head. Instead, you'll be assigned resistance activities, ranging from yoga to repetitive exercises with small dumbbells. The goal of weight training is to strengthen your bones. Resistance therapy isn't just good for muscle. Your body will add density to bones to increase your strength as you do weight exercises.

Other forms of therapy that your orthopedic center may recommend include balance exercises. These are designed to help reduce your risk of a fall, as well as other common causes of bone fractures. If osteoporosis is interfering with your bone health, good balance and posture training can also help your body stay poised, reducing strain on areas like your neck or lower back that may be bearing excess weight or pressure.

Lifestyle Changes

A physical therapist also will help you outside the office by recommending changes to your daily lifestyle, including adjustments to your home life. You will be taught how to get in and out of bed properly, how to make your home less risky for those in danger of falling, and safety measures for bathing and using the bathroom.

While physical therapy can't heal fractures or other effects of osteoporosis, it can help you restore strength, balance, and healthy movement. Physical therapy in conjunction with supervision by the orthopedic care specialists in Suffolk County, NY, at Peconic Bay Medical Center, can successfully treat osteoporosis. Visit the orthopedic team at Peconic Bay Medical Center to begin treatment for osteoporosis, or to find out if you may be suffering from this condition.