There is a presumption generally that mobility through the lifespan must be reduced, even that it will eventually deteriorate to the point of disability. While lifecycle effects are inevitable, this does not necessarily lead to disability.
Some are born with disabilities with respect to mobility. Similarly, accidents and diseases occur, with similar effects in some cases. These need not be so extreme. Diagnosis can be more precise; therapy can be more targeted, consistent, and community-based.
Dr. Larry Farnes' career has supported practice innovations that bring hope. He concluded early on that inadequate data collection was endemic to the practice of physical therapy. His crowning achievement was to develop the PQ, or Performance Quotient, based on 150 measures of strength and mobility. Similar to the IQ measure of certain cognitive capabilities, the PQ is helpful in regulating medical and therapeutical progress as well as lifestyle and performance development approaches.
This philosophy informs the health of the people in many ways. It is an example of the benefit for comprehensive data collection and interpretation as a matter of course. It shows how medical practiice itself can be more scientific. Application of the PQ with firefighters led to the concept of New Performance Reality. This led as well to the prospect for Optimum Performance Living as a tangible goal for health systems generally and for national programs for wellbeing and prosperity of the people.