Weight Training Benefits for Older Adults

Aging Changes (Musculoskeletal)

• Aging affects bones, muscles, and joints.
• Alternative names for these changes include osteoporosis and aging, muscle weakness associated with aging, and osteoarthritis.
• Posture and gait (walking pattern) change with age. An older person's posture often becomes more stooped and both the knees and hips become more flexed.
• Movements slow and may become limited, walking pattern (gait) becomes slower and shorter, walking may become unsteady, and reduced arm swinging.

The Skeleton

• The skeleton provides support and structure to the body.
• Joints are areas where bones connect.
• Joints allow the skeleton flexibility.
• Within a joint, bones are cushioned by cartilage and synovial fluid.

Muscles

• Muscles provide the force and strength to move the body.
• Muscle coordination is controlled by the brain.
• Changes in muscles, joints, and bones impact posture and walking, leading to weakness and slowed movement.
• Lean body mass decreases due to a loss of muscle tissue (atrophy).
• Muscle changes often start in the 20s (men) and 40s (women).
• Lipofuscin (an age-related pigment) and fat deposit in muscle tissue.
• Muscle fibers shrink, potentially replaced by tough fibrous tissue. This is especially noticeable in the hands, causing them to look thin and bony.
• Muscles contract less effectively due to changes in muscle tissue and normal aging of the nervous system.
• Muscles may become rigid with age and lose tone even with exercise.
• Older people tire more easily and have less energy.
• Strength and endurance decrease with loss of muscle mass.

Aging Changes of Bone

• Bones become more brittle and susceptible to fracture.
• Overall height decreases as trunk and spine shorten.
• Joint breakdown can lead to inflammation, pain, stiffness, and deformity. Joint changes are common in older people, ranging from mild stiffness to severe arthritis.
• Bone mass or density decreases, particularly in women after menopause.
• Bones lose minerals like calcium.
• The spine consists of vertebrae separated by gel-like cushions (disks).
• Disks lose fluid and become thinner with age, shortening the spine.

Aging Changes of Spine

• Vertebrae lose mineral content, causing thinning.
• The spinal column curves and compresses (senile kyphosis).
• Foot arches become less pronounced.
• Long bones (arms and legs) become more brittle due to mineral loss but don't change in length. This visually makes arms/legs appear longer relative to a shorter trunk

Aging Changes of Joints

• Joints become stiffer and less flexible, with possible fluid decrease.
• Cartilage may wear away and rub together, with mineral deposits forming in and around some joints (calcification), especially around the shoulder.
• Hip and knee joints may lose cartilage (degenerative changes).
• Finger joint changes, often bony swelling (osteophytes), are common, particularly in women.

Common Problems

• Osteoporosis is a common problem, especially in older women. Bones break more easily. Compression fractures in the vertebrae cause pain and limit mobility.
• Muscle weakness contributes to fatigue, reduced activity, and reduced activity tolerance.
• Joint problems range from mild stiffness to debilitating arthritis (osteoarthritis).
• Injury risk increases due to gait changes, instability, and loss of balance.
• Reduced reflexes (knee and ankle jerks) can occur. Some changes, like a positive Babinski reflex, aren't typical of aging.
• Involuntary movements (muscle tremors and fasciculations) are more common in older people.
• Older people who aren't physically active may have weakness or abnormal sensations (paresthesia). Immobile people may develop muscle contractures if they don't exercise.

Aging and Muscle Loss (Sarcopenia)

• Skeletal muscle loss, strength, and function is a normal part of aging, often called sarcopenia.
• Sarcopenia commonly develops from age 50 onward.
• Sarcopenia involves a loss of muscle tissue, strength, and mass.
• Sarcopenia can begin as early as the fourth decade of life, but the decrease in maximal strength (20-40%) is generally observed in the seventh and eighth decades.
• Weakness reduces the ability to get out of bed or a chair.
• Decreased muscle quality may contribute to a higher fracture risk in older people.
• The rate of force development in muscle also decreases in the elderly.
• Age-related oxidative stress, inflammation, and free radical generation damage proteins, lipids, and DNA, leading to cellular dysfunction and muscle protein degeneration. This contributes to the reduction in muscle mass and function.

Sarcopenia is a Multi-Factorial Disorder

• Sarcopenia is caused by several factors.
  • Decreased levels of sex hormones, like hormones. -Decreased levels of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor one.
  • Increased inflammatory cytokines. -Neuromuscular changes. -Physical inactivity. -Malnutrition (especially protein deficiency).
• Lack of physical activity often makes sarcopenia worse. Poor eating habits can also worsen the conditions. The issues often result in decreased quality of life in seniors.

Low Protein + Low Exercise = Sarcopenia

• Sarcopenia starts in the mid 40s.
• Muscle loss is associated with protein deficiency and lack of exercise, increasing frailty in older people.
• Muscle tissue takes away amino acids from body to make up for loss.
• Recommended daily protein intake is about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight or 56 grams for a 154-pound person.
• More active elderly benefit from 1.2 grams per kilogram.

Aging Effects on Skeletal Muscle

• Strength training effectively maintains muscle strength throughout life but effectiveness declines around age 60.
• Strength levels fall rapidly regardless of training, usually attributed to hormone level changes (declining testosterone and growth hormone, particularly dropping after age 60).
• Reduction in circulating hormone levels alter the balance between muscle protein synthesis (anabolism) and muscle breakdown (catabolism).
• Reduced strength due to atrophy of muscle fibers.

Benefits of Weight Training for Older Adults

• Improves symptoms related to diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, back pain, and depression.
• Prevents falls related to restoration of balance and stability.
• Increases posture.
• Increases flexibility and range of motion.
• Strengthens bones and reduces risk of breaks.
• Improves muscle strength and endurance.
• Improves overall health, and promotes independence.

Benefits of Weight Training for Older Adults (continued)

• Weight training slows down the sarcopenia process (age-related muscle loss).
• Weight training (regular, moderate exercise) helps to: -Reduce blood pressure. -Improve blood cholesterol. -Enhance insulin sensitivity -Speeds up intestinal transit. -Increases bone density. -Reduce back pain. -Relieve arthritis discomfort. -Improves cardiovascular function. -Reduces depression. -Reduces body fat. -Improves functional abilities.

Prevention

• Exercise is key for maintaining muscle, bone, and joint health.
• Moderate exercise programs help maintain strength, balance, and flexibility.
• Regular exercise helps keep bones strong.
• A well-balanced diet high in calcium is vital.
• For postmenopausal women and men over 70, 1,200 mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D are daily recommended.
• A healthy diet that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats is vital.
• Limit alcohol and avoid tobacco/illicit drugs.

Explore the essential benefits of weight training for older adults in this quiz. Learn about calcium intake, sarcopenia, and lifestyle habits that support bone health. Test your knowledge on the impact of exercise on aging and muscle maintenance.