Have you found yourself saying “well, I am getting old” in response to some new pain or difficulty doing any activity that was once done without a thought? Maybe you have even stopped doing something that you enjoy, because of pain or not feeling safe doing it. This may be particularly so, after the past 12 months that we have had, thanks to Covid.
From the age of approximately 30 years, our muscles will begin to change, through a process called sarcopenia. Due to chemical changes within the muscle cells, the capacity for our muscles to contract is gradually reduced, leading to a decrease in our overall muscle strength. These changes continue as we age and can result in a loss of up to 50% of our muscle mass by our 8th decade of life [1]. Due to these significant changes in strength, daily activities become more challenging to complete, while the likelihood of joint pain or having a fall also increases [2].
Now - the good news!
All these factors can be significantly reduced and even reversed with the appropriate resistance exercise, in combination with good nutritional choices!
Resistance exercise involves movement against resistance, either as bodyweight, gravity or external weight. This type of exercise can increase our muscle length, size and efficiency, as well as having a number of other positive health benefits [3]. As well as making us stronger, there is evidence to show that regular resistance exercise can also reduce our risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and poor mental health [4].
As our medical management continues to excel and we are now living longer than we ever have before, it is becoming increasingly more important that we keep people moving and feeling well. My main goal as a physiotherapist is to help people be the best versions of themselves. I believe that no one should feel limited in what activities they can complete, regardless of age, gender or experience. It is never too late to start exercising! The first step is finding your starting point.
If you’d like to find your starting point, please contact us on 9439 6776!
This blog is written by Jessie Williams, Physiotherapist at Back In Motion Eltham.
References:
- Walston J. D. (2012). Sarcopenia in older adults. Current opinion in rheumatology, 24(6), 623–627. https://doi.org/10.1097/BOR.0b013e328358d59b
- Shorter, E., Sannicandro, A.J., Poulet, B. et al. Skeletal Muscle Wasting and Its Relationship With Osteoarthritis: a Mini-Review of Mechanisms and Current Interventions. Curr Rheumatol Rep 21, 40 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-019-0839-4
- Tavoian, D., Russ, D. W., Consitt, L. A., & Clark, B. C. (2020). Perspective: Pragmatic Exercise Recommendations for Older Adults: The Case for Emphasizing Resistance Training. Frontiers in physiology, 11, 799. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2020.00799
- Law, T. D., Clark, L. A., & Clark, B. C. (2016). Resistance Exercise to Prevent and Manage Sarcopenia and Dynapenia. Annual review of gerontology & geriatrics, 36(1), 205–228. https://doi.org/10.1891/0198-8794.36.205