Traditionally, people have viewed physical therapy as a treatment to pursue following an injury. While this is still the case in many circumstances, its role in the lives of older adults is evolving to also include preventing injury and maintaining physical fitness.

By improving strength, balance, and endurance, physical therapy can help counteract some of the age-related physical changes that may affect a person’s ability to perform activities of daily living.

This article discusses the role of physical therapy for older adults, including the types and benefits.

There are different types of physical therapy that focus on achieving different outcomes for different patient populations. Geriatric physical therapy is a branch that addresses the unique concerns of older adults.

Geriatric physical therapists focus on treating age-related conditions like osteoporosis, arthritis, and balance disorders, as well as assisting in rehabilitation after an injury or surgery.

They also work to build strength and endurance in people to help them maintain independence and perform activities of daily living.

Older adults who might be suitable candidates for physical therapy include those who:

• are at risk of experiencing a fall
• are otherwise healthy but wish to build strength to safely engage in sports and other physical activities
• are recovering from a surgery
• have limited mobility due to a medical condition

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, health conditions that may qualify an individual for physical therapy include:

• age-related muscle and strength loss
• physical issues related to cancer
• fractures
• disorders of the heart and lungs
• joint replacements
• diabetes
• obesity
• sports injuries

Physical therapy can offer various benefits to older adults.

Functional independence refers to a person’s ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) without assistance. Experts use a scale called the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) to gauge the level of assistance a person requires.

Among the categories assessed by the FIM are motor skills. This includes:

• self-care tasks, such as bathing and dressing
• transfer tasks, such as moving from a bed to a chair or the toilet
• locomotion tasks, such as walking, using a wheelchair, or navigating stairs

These tasks, which are crucial to maintaining independence, require balance, coordination, strength, and flexibility.

Physical therapy can help individuals maintain the physical fitness necessary to perform these tasks or train people to regain them following injury or illness.

Research suggests that physical therapy can offer various benefits to individuals during and after hospital stays. It may shorten the duration of hospital stays, reduce the risk of readmission, and reduce the need for post-acute care.

Authors of a 2016 review concluded that receiving physical therapy following hospital admission reduced the risk of readmission among older adults. The authors conclude that physical therapists should play a stronger role in care transitions because physical therapy can benefit patients during this time.

A 2025 study found that adults who received routine physical therapy while hospitalized were more likely to be discharged than those who received less frequent physical therapy.

Thus, it is also important for aging adults to advocate for themselves, or have a loved one do so, while in the hospital. This can help ensure that they receive physical therapy at least 6 days per week when in the hospital.

In older adults, falls are a serious concern and one of the most common causes of disability.

Some of the risk factors for falls include:

• balance issues
• reduced muscle strength
• gait difficulty

Physical therapy can directly address these issues to help lower fall risk in people of all ages.

Physical therapy can play an important role in healthy aging for older adults. It can help people build and maintain the strength, mobility, and endurance needed to continue doing activities necessary for independent living.

It can offer other benefits for those rehabilitating after surgery, injury, or health conditions, including reduced risk of hospital readmission.

Medicare enrollees will likely receive coverage for medically necessary physical therapy under Part B, provided they use a Medicare-approved professional.