As we age, many people notice small changes that make them feel a little weaker or slower, but they often don\u2019t realise that the cause is sarcopenia.<\/p>\n
We spoke to physiotherapist Lucy Macdonald, based in Surrey, Britain, who explained exactly what sarcopenia is and shared some tips on how to stay strong later in life.<\/p>\n
What is sarcopenia?<\/p>\n
\u201cAge-related sarcopenia is the process by which muscles get weaker as you get older,\u201d explains Macdonald.<\/p>\n
This condition is caused by a combination of factors, including the natural ageing process, physical inactivity and changes to hormonal levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are some factors, like hormonal changes, that people can\u2019t do anything about.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, decreasing levels of testosterone in men and women as they get older can be a factor,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, we are in control of our activity levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people will reduce their activity levels, in part just because of general lifestyle, but also sometimes because of fear of injury, and actually these things can significantly contribute to muscle wasting as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
She highlights that she usually sees sarcopenia in patients who are in two particular phases of life.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first one would be people in their late 40s because around that age people\u2019s lives tend to be very busy,\u201d says Macdonald.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve got busy careers and often have caring responsibilities for kids and older relatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, in terms of the amount of time they have to stay active, that\u2019s quite a sort of crunch point.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen sarcopenia is also very prevalent in the early 60s age range.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this age, people are thinking of retiring, which is another turning point as some people will have a really active retirement and some will do considerably less.\u201d<\/p>\n
What are some symptoms that might suggest you have sarcopenia?<\/p>\n
\u201cFinding it difficult to get out of a chair or to go up and down stairs easily are two key indicators,\u201d says Macdonald.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you start to notice that you\u2019re struggling a bit to get that power to do these things without using your upper body, I would seek professional advice about this.\u201d<\/p>\n
How can sarcopenia impact your daily life?<\/p>\n
\u201cDay-to-day things like carrying your shopping or playing with the grandkids might become difficult,\u201d says Macdonald.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many things involve physical activity, and if you haven\u2019t got the muscle strength to do it, you\u2019re going to start to enjoy these activities less.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could also become painful to do things.<\/p>\n
\u201cSarcopenia is considered to be a significant contributing factor to joint pain, which can really affect people\u2019s quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Can you slow down the progression of sarcopenia or prevent it?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best thing to do to slow down the progression of sarcopenia or to prevent it is strength work,\u201d says Macdonald.<\/p>\n
\u201cA physio can give you specific exercises to strengthen your muscles in relation to the things that you want to be able to achieve.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, if you wanted to be able to take your grandchildren to the park, then a physio can help you strengthen the muscles that are involved in that.\u201d<\/p>\n
What are your top tips for building and maintaining muscle later in life?<\/p>\n
There are a number of activities that you can do to build and maintain muscles, even at an older age.<\/p>\n
> Try sit and stand exercises<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019ve just got out of bed in the morning, try sitting on the edge of your bed and standing up and sitting down again in a controlled way, and repeat that 30 times,\u201d says Macdonald.<\/p>\n
\u201cSit to stand is basically a squat and you can progress by adding a bit of weight to this exercise or try doing it on a lower surface, such as a sofa.\u201d<\/p>\n
> Wall press-ups<\/p>\n
\u201cLean as much of your body weight as you can against your hands on a wall, and then just gently bend and straighten your elbows,\u201d recommends Macdonald.<\/p>\n
> Introduce weights under the guidance of a professional<\/p>\n
\u201cSlowly introduce some lifting exercises under the guidance of either a physio or a personal trainer,\u201d she suggests.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey will help you learn a bit more about your own body and how important strength is, and will also provide some encouragement.\u201d<\/p>\n
> Increase the weight gradually<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you suddenly launch into doing weights, you will probably get injured,\u201d warns Macdonald.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy overloading them, you\u2019ll get tears in the muscle, which can be very painful, and you\u2019ll end up weaker, rather than stronger.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, you want to start low and increase the weight gradually.\u201d<\/p>\n
> Join a group<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are a lot of groups out there where you can go and do resistance training and use weights in a group setting,\u201d says Macdonald.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe advantage of doing exercise in a group is that you\u2019re more likely to stick to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
> Don\u2019t be afraid<\/p>\n
\u201cTry to not let fear get in the way of getting strong,\u201d she advises.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough fear of injury is very normal, fear often ends up increasing the likelihood of getting injured because if you don\u2019t use it, you lose it.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to remember that losing strength isn\u2019t inevitable.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust because it\u2019s harder to be strong as we get older doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s not possible,\u201d says Macdonald.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen some incredibly strong older people, so there\u2019s full potential to be strong later in life.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have control over it, so getting weaker and weaker as you age is not an inevitable thing.\u201d \u2013 PA Media\/dpa<\/p>\n
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