Jason welcomes physical therapist, Ben Shatto, to episode #43 of The Longevity & Biohacking show to talk about the far reaching benefits of physical therapy. In case you weren’t aware, this ain’t your grandpa’s physical therapy.

Beyond Injury Rehabilitation

It used to be that one called upon a physical therapist to aid in recovery from bumps, bruises, and broken bones. In short, it was all about helping people get better after some sort of traumatic injury. While physical therapy is a great way to deal with the above list of problems, Mr. Shatto wants us to understand that the industry has begun to be proactive in preventing injuries, rather than reactive, waiting for something to go wrong.

Physical Therapy is Newly Proactive

Shatto likes to think of profession as movement specialists. The simple practice of daily movement is critical as humans live longer every year. What’s the point in having a long life span if you don’t have the health span to go with it? Essentially, the issue Shatto poses to us is how much of a life will you really have if the last 15 years are spent in a wheelchair, swallowing a handful of pills daily just to keep going? Old age at ALL costs might not be the best approach.

Don’t Fall Down

According to Shatto, the number one predictor of a future fall is a past fall. Senior citizens are afraid of a fall, and they should be. A tumble to the ground can snap old, brittle bones like a dry twig, A fall with a broken hip is something not often recovered from. Overall, It’s harder to recover from such a massive injury in the latter parts of life. Our bodies just don’t mend as well. You’ve got to take proactive steps along the way to strengthen bones and improve balance.

When addressing the issue of falls, Shatto says a physical therapist would first try to ascertain what is causing the falls. Medicine? Weak muscles?

This is Where a Physical Therapist Comes In

While it’s never too late to begin taking care of your health through regular exercise, the sooner you make it habit, the better. The chances of developing a chronic problem like heart disease, diabetes, or Alzheimer’s can be reduced by putting movement into your life. It makes sense. Eat a better diet to strengthen your immune system. Exercise to keep keep joints and muscles strong and limber.

Lifespan vs. Healthspan

Shatto related a story of a family that came to him with a 96-year-old woman who had not been out of bed in six months. This is a perfect example of lifespan outliving healthspan. Through a gentle program of flexibility and strength training over the next six months, the woman was eventually able to walk to the bathroom and dining room. She passed away shortly afterwards but at least had a better quality of life over the final stage.  

Obamacare vs. The Physical Therapists

It’s no secret that no matter how effective physical therapy might be in preventing chronic disease, most of us will never have the opportunity to use it. Today’s healthcare system is in a lot of trouble. Costs, already residing in the nosebleed section, will likely climb higher as medical practitioners and consumers alike realize there just isn’t enough money. Rather than send a patient to physical therapy – which is not well-covered by insurance – a doctor is just as liable to prescribe a pill that might mask the symptoms for a while but do nothing to rid the patient of the underlying cause.  

The bottom line is that many serious diseases can be prevented at least to some extent. With the medical profession controlled by Big Pharma and insurance companies, there are scant few financial resources left for physical therapy, except in the event of post-surgical rehabilitation.

Aging and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis (OA) is one of the two major types of arthritis (rheumatoid being the other). The latter is an immune system problem and likely to strike at any age. OA is a little different. It is referred to as the “wear and tear” arthritis. If you live long enough to have the protective cartilage cushion between your joints literally wear out, then you know what OA feels like.

Seems irreversible, right? Not exactly. Shatto says that weight-bearing exercise and resistance training is a great prescription for prevention. What it does is strengthen the muscles, especially those in the vicinity of an affected joint. Stronger muscles can take some of the pressure away from an arthritic joint, thereby reducing pain and (hopefully) the amount of pain relievers needed to get through the day.

Do You Need a Trainer or Physical Therapist?

What factors should you consider when it comes time to choose a personal trainer or physical therapist? Good question, says Shatto, and he has a particular factor to consider. If you are a younger person in relatively good shape, and not at a high risk for injury, a personal trainer should work fine. However, if you are older, have a medical history, or are afflicted with pre-existing conditions, a physical therapist, trained in adaptive techniques, might be your best choice.

How to Get Younger? Save the Telomere!

Long time listeners of The Longevity Show podcast are familiar with the idea of telomeres in increasing lifespan. A quick review. A telomere is like a tail on the end of a cell. Each time the cell divides, the telomere shortens. This cell division process controls our aging. When the telomere shortens for the last time and disappears, it dies and we grow older. There are hormone products on the market that claim to stop the telomere from growing shorter and some claim it can even cause them to lengthen.

The Problem With Hormones

While manufacturers claim side effects from telomere hormone therapy, others, Like Ben Shatto, are suspicious. He claims you can achieve the same anti-aging result from exercise and proper eating.

In the final analysis, increasing your lifespan while ignoring the healthspan is torture. Let’s not torture ourselves. You can find out more about Ben Shatto at www.PhysicalTherapyAdvisor.com . (Images: Flickr | otisarchives4)

More from Jason Hartman:

Blue-Blocking Sleep and the 30-day Alcohol Challenge

The Longevity Fund and the “Age of Aging”

The Longevity & Biohacking Show Team