Revista Fisio&terapia · Oct 23, 2026
The role of physical therapy in maintaining functionality during aging and in managing functional decline in older adults: an integrative review
By de Araújo FCA, Barbosa FS
Introduction: Preserving functionality is central to healthy ageing, since increasing age may affect mobility, strength, balance, intrinsic capacity and independence without implying that old age should be equated with disease. Objective: To analyze scientific evidence on the role of physiotherapy in maintaining functionality and managing functional decline in older adults. Methods: An integrative review was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE and the Virtual Health Library, considering studies published from 2021 to 2026 in Portuguese and English. A total of 622 records were identified, 571 in PubMed/MEDLINE and 51 in VHL. After duplicate removal, screening and eligibility assessment, 20 studies were included. Results: The studies showed beneficial effects of physiotherapy on functional mobility, balance, gait, muscle strength, activities of daily living, frailty, fall risk and quality of life. Personalized interventions, home-based programs, community physiotherapy and educational strategies yielded consistent results, whereas some fall-prevention programs and higher-intensity interventions showed neutral results. Conclusion: Physiotherapy plays an important role in preserving functionality and autonomy in ageing, especially when care is individualized, progressive and continuous.