5 Conditions Directly Affected by Good Nutrition
Physical therapy is about optimizing your health. That’s why proper nutrition and physical therapy go hand in hand. Although most people know it’s important to maintain a healthy diet, they may not realize that nutrition directly affects certain conditions.
The following examples illustrate exactly how. To better understand the importance of nutrition in physical therapy, consider how the food you eat may impact conditions like:
Obesity
If you’ve been injured or have otherwise experienced compromised mobility, it’s easy to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. This contributes to obesity – so, too, does a poorly-balanced diet. Unfortunately, studies indicate that obesity can worsen chronic pain.
This is a key reason to work with a physical therapist to boost your mobility – and your metabolism. With a specialist there to guide you on the importance of nutrition in physical therapy, they’ll help you stay active and provide you with resources to ensure you’re sticking to a quality diet.
Osteoporosis
Physical therapists often work with osteoporosis patients. The right physical therapy program can help patients avoid injuries associated with falls and similar accidents.
When you combine nutrition and physical therapy, the results can be even better. To maintain bone strength, it’s important to consume sufficient amounts of vitamin D and calcium. Integrating these enriching vitamins with a steady exercise plan provided by a physical therapist can make you feel better than ever. Bone health is important to consider when thinking about exercise and nutrition. The stronger and healthier your bones are, the better.
Arthritis
Many common foods can trigger inflammation in the body. This is particularly harmful to people with arthritis, as inflammation has been shown to exacerbate arthritis pain.
Although working with a physical therapist can help a patient reduce their discomfort, it’s also important to stick to an anti-inflammatory diet. This also helps patients suffering from symptoms of patellofemoral syndrome, or knee pain and weakness. This isn’t just the result of knee injuries – it happens when hip function is impaired, too.
Together, the right nutrition and physical therapy programs can go a long way to reducing flare-ups.
Muscle Atrophy
Someone with limited mobility may experience muscle atrophy if they don’t stay active. Thus, they should guard against this by making sure they consume enough protein. A high-protein diet helps build muscle (or at least slow the progress of atrophy).
That said, you don’t need to have mobility issues to struggle with this problem. Sarcopenia is a natural loss of muscle that may occur as you get older. This is a key reason elderly people should understand the importance of nutrition in physical therapy.
Muscle atrophy is much different than conditions that weaken and damage muscles like childbirth with the pelvic floor muscles, but consider this loss of strength, too. Postpartum conditions sometimes require pelvic floor physical therapy. This strengthens muscles after giving birth, and learning more about it is a great plan for new and expectant mothers.
Along with proper nutrition, safe resistance exercises can help to prevent muscle loss. A physical therapist is qualified to design a program that fits an individual elderly person’s needs and abilities.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a type of medical condition that can unfortunately contribute to other health issues, such as heart disease. Thus, people with diabetes must be vigilant about monitoring their sugar levels and sticking to an appropriate diet.
For people without diabetes, it’s good practice to get protein from healthy sources like poultry and fish instead of from red meat. This can help them avoid developing this condition.
Physical Therapy For Exercise and Nutrition
Again, while physical therapy can help a person manage any of these conditions, it’s important to not overlook the role of nutrition in maintaining wellness. After all, what we eat fuels our bodies, so providing the right fuel is key to staying as healthy as possible.
Promoting healthy habits through nutrition and physical therapy can help you manage a wide range of physical conditions. To find a physical therapist near you that can guide you on the right nutritional path and tailor a plan to you, use the BetterPT clinic location tool website, or download the BetterPT app. Both options put you into contact with capable and trained physical therapy professionals in-office or out. How is that possible? The BetterTelehealth platform gives you a chance to schedule and attend sessions virtually, receiving care without ever having to leave your home. Ideal for those that aren’t comfortable or able to get themselves into an office, telemedicine is growing in popularity for physical therapy patients.
Once you recognize the importance of nutrition in physical therapy, you’ll lead a happier and healthier life.
