#27 - Knotted Physio - Why Muscle Loss Happens With Age

Hello Everyone and welcome back to the Knotted Physio Blog! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying these beautiful days. As always, I want to say a BIG thank you to everyone who continues to read these posts and send me feedback. I truly enjoy hearing from you and finding out what topics you are interested in!

Today, I wanted to talk about something that we don't always think about until we notice it happening. Muscle loss.

Now, I know that doesn't sound like the most exciting topic, but stay with me here! If you are over 40, this is something that you should pay attention to because it can have a huge impact on your ability to do the things you enjoy as you get older.

Have you ever noticed that something that used to be easy isn't quite as easy anymore? Maybe getting up from the floor takes a little more effort. Maybe carrying groceries feels heavier than it used to. Or maybe you have noticed that walking up a hill leaves you a little more winded than it did several years ago.

So what gives?

Well, there is a natural process that happens as we age where we gradually lose muscle mass and strength. This is called sarcopenia. Now, I'm not going to get all scientific on you, but basically, our muscles don't stay exactly the same throughout our entire lives.

The interesting thing is that it isn't just about getting older.

One of the biggest contributors to muscle loss is that we simply don't use our muscles as much as we used to.

Think about it. When you were younger, you probably spent a lot more time moving around. You walked more, played more, climbed stairs, carried things and generally had fewer opportunities to sit around all day.

Now, many of us spend hours sitting at a desk, driving in the car, watching TV or looking at our phones.

Our bodies are incredibly smart. They adapt to what we ask them to do.

If we don't ask our muscles to work very hard, our bodies don't have much reason to maintain all of that muscle.

I have seen this happen with patients many times. Someone will come in and say, "I don't understand why I'm getting weaker. I haven't done anything different!"

Well, sometimes that's exactly the problem.

They haven't done anything different.

They haven't been exercising. They aren't walking as much. They stopped doing the activities they used to enjoy. Little by little, their activity level decreases and their strength decreases right along with it.

And here's where it becomes important.

Muscle isn't just about looking strong.

We need strength to get out of a chair. We need strength to climb stairs. We need strength to carry our groceries. We need strength to get up and down from the ground.

And if you enjoy being outdoors, you need strength for that too!

Think about hiking, fishing, kayaking, gardening, hunting, walking trails or even just spending a day at the beach. All of those things require your body to have enough strength and endurance to keep up with what you want to do.

This is why I am such a big believer in staying active as we get older.

You don't have to become a bodybuilder. You don't have to spend two hours in the gym every day. And you certainly don't have to lift enormous amounts of weight.

You just have to give your muscles a reason to work.

That might be walking. It might be doing some squats or getting up and down from a chair. It could be using resistance bands, lifting some weights or working in the yard.

The important thing is that you continue to challenge your body.

I had a patient who told me that she was starting to notice that she couldn't do some of the things around her house that she used to do without thinking about it. She wasn't interested in becoming stronger so she could lift a tremendous amount of weight. She simply wanted to be able to continue taking care of her home, working in her yard and enjoying time with her family.

That is what strength is really about.

Independence.

Being able to do the things you want to do without having to think about whether your body is capable of doing them.

And the good news is that it is never too late to start.

I have seen people make significant improvements in their strength after years of being inactive. The body is pretty amazing that way. Give it the right stimulus and it can adapt.

Now, I do want to say that if you have been inactive for a long time, don't go out tomorrow and try to lift the heaviest weight you can find! Start where you are and gradually build from there.

And remember, muscle strength isn't the only thing that matters. Good nutrition, adequate protein, sleep and recovery are all important parts of maintaining a healthy body as we age.

So, what is the takeaway?

Don't wait until you notice that you are getting weaker to start doing something about it.

Keep moving.

Keep using your muscles.

Keep challenging yourself.

And most importantly, keep doing the things that allow you to enjoy your life!

Well guys, I hope this has given you a little better understanding of why we lose muscle as we get older and, more importantly, what we can do about it.

If you found this information helpful, please share it with someone who may need a little reminder that getting older doesn't mean giving up the activities they love!

As always, Thanks for reading and go enjoy the great outdoors!