A physical therapist (PT) is a licensed professional who helps rehabilitate those who have difficulty with movement due to injury or disease. The physical therapist job may also involve teaching the patient how to relieve his or her pain and manage the injury or medical condition to improve functionality. A geriatric physical therapist specializes in treating elderly patients. If you're a senior with limited mobility or range of motion, or with health concerns that are preventing you from performing everyday tasks, ask your health care provider if physical therapy may help. Here are 3 conditions a geriatric physical therapist may treat:

1. Osteoarthritis

If you're an elderly individual diagnosed with osteoarthritis, you may experience pain, stiffness, and immobility of the joints. This degenerative form of arthritis occurs from wear and tear on the joints and cartilage as one ages. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects the knees, hands, and hips of the elderly.

The good news is that a geriatric physical therapist has special training and experience to help you manage this progressive disease. If your primary care physician or rheumatologist has prescribed physical therapy with a geriatric PT to treat your osteoarthritis, here's what you might expect:

Firstly, your PT will ask you questions relating to your medical history and issues that brought you in to physical therapy. He or she will evaluate your case and most likely test your range of motion. As part of your treatment and management plan, your physical therapy may involve:

• Physical Exercises: Your geriatric physical therapist may demonstrate how to perform various exercises. These are designed to reduce your pain and stiffness, as well as improve your mobility of the affected joints. Physical therapy exercises may also help strengthen those damaged joints.

• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS): This is another form of PT designed to reduce pain and inflammation caused by osteoarthritis. A TENS unit uses electrode pads connected to a small device that delivers electrical pulses directly to the affected joint. Patients may experience a freer range of motion and improved mobility after several applications over a period of sessions.

• Massage: Massage therapy may be part of the treatment plan for osteoarthritis. Massaging the muscles and joints may improve your blood circulation, thus reducing inflammation and pain. After your massage, your therapist may apply heat to the affected area, or in some cases ice.

• Education For Self Management of the Disease: After your physical therapy sessions end and you no longer go for regular sessions, you may be told to continue management at home. This may help you improve your functionality and restore your range of motion on a long-term basis. Your physical therapist may give you a list of exercises you can perform at home, and some guidelines to follow as well.

2. Balance Disorders

Elderly individuals often experience difficulty maintaining proper balance. This may be due to joint stiffness, muscle weakness, stroke, or even the use of certain medications that many elderly patients take regularly. Physical therapy is designed to help improve balance and coordination. Because poor balance may result in accidents and falls, physical therapy may be beneficial.

Upon the initial visit, the physical therapist may ask a series of questions. He or she may want to know how frequently the patient experiences difficulty with their balance, if the individual is prone to falling, what medications are taken, and if there are existing medical conditions. Evaluations may be performed to determine balance and coordination, as well as visual tracking.

To improve dynamic balance while moving, exercises may be taught. To help strengthen weak muscles that contribute to balance issues, weight training exercises may help. This may include the use of weight resistance bands.

In addition to helping the patient perform various exercises to improve balance and coordination, the therapist may want to assess risk factors in the home environment. He or she may suggest footwear that may help reduce the risk of falls. Household hazards may be assessed as well, such as area rugs that may cause a fall, unlit or poorly lit lighting along stairs, or objects and obstructions in the home.

3. Alzheimer's Disease

Although you might not think of physical therapy as a treatment for Alzheimer's, research has shown that increased physical activity may help improve symptoms associated with this disease. The goal of the geriatric physical therapist is to create a specialized exercise program to help patients with early and middle stages of Alzheimer's. Because Alzheimer's patients are more prone to accidents from falls, physical therapy may help prevent these issues by improving balance and coordination. The physical therapist may also help by demonstrating how to use assistive devices, such as walkers or canes. In addition, the PT may design an at-home exercise program to help the individual cope with daily activities.

If you or your loved one suffers from age-related medical issues, ask your health care provider if a geriatric physical therapist may help.