Actors are, by necessity, active; jumping over explosions, dodging bad romances, and running from monsters requires effort, and that effort can take a toll on the body. To compensate, many actors maintain excellent physical health, or try to ensure that they do not get injured.
Enter physical therapy. Physical therapy specializes in making sure people either do not get injured or recover from their injuries quickly, and for actors, this means that they can take on more roles, shoot more scenes, and be on bigger screens.
Actors like Harrison Ford, movie star across decades, have sought out the help of physical therapists in staying active. In an interview with People magazine, 80-year-old actor Harrison Ford discussed his approach to staying active and in shape. As one of Hollywood’s prominent action stars, known for his roles in films like “Air Force One” and the “Star Wars” franchise, as well as the iconic Indiana Jones character, Ford emphasized the importance of physical therapy and rehabilitation in his routine.
Ford mentioned that he doesn’t engage in physical training but focuses primarily on rehab and physical therapy. He described himself as “just like an old man” who is recovering from various injuries. Despite his injuries, Ford strives to keep himself moving and maintain an active lifestyle. Tennis and road biking have been his preferred activities, although shoulder injuries prevent him from playing tennis and riding his bike at the moment.
However, Ford remains determined to work towards regaining his ability to play tennis and resume biking. With the upcoming release of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” he continues to push himself through physical therapy and rehabilitation to stay fit and be able to portray the iconic adventurer on-screen once again.
Many have marveled at the ability of Ford, and many like him, to continue staying active at his age. From a physical therapy standpoint, staying active into your 80s and beyond is a matter of maintaining physical fitness. Now, you don’t have to go run a marathon at 75 years old, but a general rule of thumb with physical mobility is “use it or lose it.”
What that means is, if you want to stay active late in life, and barring any injuries or illnesses, you must simply be active. Let’s take your shoulders as an example. If you move your shoulders frequently, by doing mobility exercises, playing sports, or safely lifting weights, you’ll see that you’ll be moving your shoulders as time goes on.
Obviously, this is a rule of thumb – it isn’t always true. It is a good idea to stay active, though. That way, much like Harrison Ford, you may find yourself able to bike, run, and play sports late into life.
