August 8, 2008
Let’s seize the moment!
Many trends are driving growth in the outpatient rehab market—from chronic disease prevention and use rate increases, to new practice locations, technology and outcomes measures And let’s not forget the Baby Boomers, as well the general aging of our population.
And how will the burgeoning Baby Boomer segment fuel the need for outpatient rehab? It seems like this demographic group isn’t likely to retire to the couch or rocking chair anytime soon. Baby boomers now suffer from more sports-related injuries as they take up sports and other activities later in life, according to research disseminated by Temple University. This, of course, means more trips to the local hospital emergency department, as well as more referrals to outpatient rehab.
The people whose cultural touchpoints include Woodstock, the Haight Ashbury and Timothy Leary are now having to contend with muscle tears, knee pain, and tennis elbow, as well as worries about having enough money for retirement. Boomers’ passion for physical activity and sports—and for staying young-- has even given rise to a quasi medical phenomenon called “boomeritis.” After all, how else would you describe a 60-year-old wanna-be roller blader with serious aches and pains?
Asif Ilyas, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Temple University, claims that while joint replacements used to be limited to the elderly, Baby Boomers are now likely candidates. As the fastest growing segment of the population, Baby Boomers are living longer and healthier. And they don’t think twice about participating in sports and activities their Depression/World War II parents would have rejected as too tiring, difficult or stressful.
Whether Baby Boomers decide to take up softball, jogging, tennis or weight lifting, their athletic passion comes with a price. Yale orthopedic surgeon, Robert A. Stanton, M.D., is another medical pundit who says that sports-crazy Baby Boomers are more likely to end up in hospital emergency departments due to sports related injuries, according to Science Daily.
Interestingly, Dr. Stanton is also a champion of injury prevention among Boomers, advocating activities such as warming up, stretching and wearing bicycle helmets. In fact he helped to launch a public education program aimed at preventing sports injuries among Boomers called Boomeritis. Run by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, Boomeritis (http://www.boomer-itis.org/) offers information on injuries and treatments, as well as injuries specific to certain sports.
Outpatient rehab is in the process of re-inventing itself and we can thank Baby Boomers for fueling its growth and giving us a new set of professional challenges.
For more on Baby Boomer injuries, check out the following resources:
· Baby Boomer Sports Injuries Keep Doctors Busy http://seniorliving.about.com/b/2007/08/01/active-baby-boomers-keep-doctors-busy-treating-sports-injuries.htm
· Aging Baby Boomers May Increase Work-Related Injuries http://seniorliving.about.com/b/2007/08/01/active-baby-boomers-keep-doctors-busy-treating-sports-injuries.htm
· Baby Boomers’ Bodies Impacted by Years of Wear and Tear http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109025.php
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment