27/08/2024
Changes due to aging of bones and joints
𝟏. Muscle loss and bone and joint pain as you get older
According to statistics, nearly 50% of Australians over the age of 75 have limited mobility due to conditions affecting the muscles and skeleton, such as:
Osteoarthritis - cartilage in joints breaks down, causing pain and stiffness.
Osteomalacia - bones become soft due to problems with vitamin D metabolism.
Osteoporosis - bones lose mass and become brittle, leading to fractures.
Rheumatoid arthritis - joints become inflamed.
Muscle weakness and pain.
All of the above conditions can affect the normal functioning of the muscles involved. Specifically:
Overall height loss, mainly due to shortening of the trunk and spine.
Joint inflammation, pain, stiffness and deformity affect most older people, ranging from mild stiffness to severe arthritis.
Posture may become more stooped, with less flexibility in the knees and hips, a tilted neck and narrowed shoulders, and a wider pelvis.
Movement may be slow and limited. Gait becomes slow with short, unsteady steps, and less arm swing.
Muscle loss reduces strength and endurance, making older adults more likely to tire easily and have less energy.
Some older adults have reduced reflexes due to changes in the muscles and tendons, such as reduced knee jerk or ankle jerk reflexes.
Involuntary movements (tremors) are more common. Older adults who are not active may experience weakness or paresthesia.
𝟐. Muscle changes due to aging
In addition to the obvious signs of muscle sagging due to aging, muscles also lose size and strength as people age. This often contributes to fatigue, weakness, and reduced mobility. This may be due to a combination of factors, including:
Muscle fibers decrease in number and shrink in size. The rate at which muscle is lost (atrophy) is likely to be genetically determined, and usually begins around age 20 in men and age 40 in women.
Muscle tissue is replaced more slowly with tough fibrous tissue. This is most noticeable in the hands, which appear thinner.
Changes in the nervous system cause muscles to lose tone and contractility, even with regular exercise.
3. Bone changes due to aging
As we age, the structure of our bones changes and leads to loss of bone tissue. Low bone density means weaker bones, which puts older adults at increased risk of fractures from sudden falls or falls.
The spine is made up of vertebrae, with a gel-like cushion (called a disc) between each bone. As we age, the middle part of the body (trunk) becomes shorter as the discs lose fluid and become thinner.
The vertebrae also lose some of their mineral content, making each bone thinner. The spine becomes curved and compressed (pushed together). Bone spurs due to aging can also form on the vertebrae. The arches of the feet become less pronounced, contributing to a decrease in height. The long bones of the arms and legs become more brittle due to loss of minerals, but do not change in length. This makes the arms and legs appear longer in relation to the trunk.
Bones become more brittle as people age for a number of reasons, including:
A sedentary lifestyle causes bone loss.
Hormonal changes. In women, menopause causes bone loss. In men, a gradual decline in s*x hormones leads to the development of osteoporosis.
Bone loss of calcium and other minerals.
𝟒. Joint changes due to aging
In a joint, the bones do not come into direct contact with each other but are cushioned by the cartilage that lines the joints (articular cartilage), the synovial membrane around the joint, and the fluid that lubricates the inside of the joint (synovial fluid). As you age, joint movement becomes stiffer and less flexible due to a decrease in the amount of lubricating fluid inside the joint, and the cartilage becomes thinner. Ligaments also tend to shorten and lose some of their flexibility, making the joints feel stiff.
Cartilage can start to rub together and wear away. Mineral deposits in and around some joints (calcification) occur, especially around the shoulders.
The hip and knee joints can start to lose cartilage (osteoarthritis). The finger joints lose cartilage and the bones thicken slightly. Changes in the finger joints, called osteophytes, are more common in women and are hereditary.
Many age-related joint changes are due to lack of exercise. Exercise helps keep the joint moving, which helps the lubricating fluid to lubricate better. Meanwhile, lack of exercise causes the cartilage to shrink and stiffen, reducing the joint's mobility.
𝟓. Benefits of Physical Activity
Exercise can prevent many of the changes that occur with aging in bones, muscles, and joints, and even reverse them. It is never too late to start living an active lifestyle and reap the benefits. Research shows that:
Exercise can help strengthen bones and slow bone loss.
Older adults can increase muscle mass and strength through specialized, tailored exercises.
Balance and coordination exercises, such as tai chi, can help reduce the risk of falls in older adults.
Increased physical activity can delay the progression of osteoporosis by slowing the rate of loss of bone mineral density.
Walking or weight training are best exercise to maintain bone density. It is thought that twisting or rotating movements where muscles attach to bones are also beneficial.
Older adults who exercise in water (which is gentler and not weight-bearing) may still gain more bone and muscle mass than older adults who are less active.
Stretching is a great way to help maintain joint flexibility.
