A lot of our elderly patients claim that the golden years are not golden after all and that it is tough getting old. For the young generation, maybe so; but there is a way to not let the golden years go rusty.
Aging can result in actual muscle cell loss and muscle atrophy (loss of muscle mass), a condition called “Sarcopenia”. Muscle loss occurs at a rate of about 1% per year after the age of 30, then speeds up to 3-5% per year after the age of 50 depending on how physically active the person is. Even a few days of bed rest resulting from an injury, surgery or just a minor respiratory infection can be devastating to the elderly and may take up to a month to over come the loss of strength. Muscle weakness in turn leads to loss of ability to move around effectively, a surefire entry way into frailty.
The answer? The only effective intervention for muscle loss is resistance exercise. Physical therapists (P.T.) can literally change lives by designing and supervising appropriate exercise programs. Assessing the whole patient is very important. We also take into consideration other medical conditions that the patient may present with. Aside from strengthening regimens, the elderly exercise routines are done best in conjunction with dynamic balance exercise programs and an aerobic component. Proper form is critical as well as balancing aggressiveness and the patient’s limitations.
For our elderly population, P.T. may be otherwise known as Pain-and-Torture; the truth is we are just ensuring that your golden years stay golden.