Chronic Pain and Falls

Older adults sometimes feel chronic pain and it often goes completely untreated or undertreated which may result in more frequent falls. According to a study done by the Journal of the American Medical Association, a link has been discovered between chronic pain and an increased number of falls in adults older than 70 years of age. Pain should not be excused as a normal, natural part of growing older, but instead it should be seen as a serious condition to be treated properly. Older adults that experience pain in the joints of the arms and legs are more likely to be susceptible to falls because the pain is so intense that it can interfere with their daily activities.

For these older adults, it is common to hear stories of them falling and hurting themselves, but it is now being realized that the pain they are experiencing is a factor in why they are falling and hurting themselves even more. Risk factors that are most easy to be identified as being caused by pain include impaired gait, balance defects, and reduced muscle strength. It will be easier to identify the pain being experienced in older adults and will be easier to treat using these signs.  It is essential to be checked for the chronic pain you may be experiencing instead of waiting for a fall to happen and causing more damage.

Preventative measures should be taken into account for the wellbeing of older adults and their pain should be included as a logical reason for falling. In order to fully assess the chronic pain, older adults should seek physical therapy for a full evaluation. The physical therapist will be able to create a current and future plan to reduce strain in the joints, which will, in turn, reduce the risk of falling.
We feel like we have the best physical therapists around. Did you know you don't need a referral to get help from a Physical Therapist? Direct access is available for you, please call us and set up an evaluation so we can help get you back on your feet. In Orange County we offer Physical Therapy in Chester, Goshen, Monroe, Port Jervis, and Montgomery. Westchester County has Physical Therapy in Armonk, Bedford, and Hawthorne. In Ulster County we offer Physical Therapy in Wallkill, while in Sullivan County you can get Physical Therapy in Liberty. To round out our 12 locations in New York, those living in Rockland County can go to Physical Therapy in New City as well as Pomona. If you happen to live in PA, we also have Physical Therapy in Milford and Dingmans Ferry of Pike County. Give us a call today!