Aging Begins at 30

Too Weak To Walk Unaided

Maude is a bright, intelligent widow of 82. It would be wise to have her return home from the nursing home and live in her own home. She lived there before a series of illnesses leading to several months in intensive care. We can't wean her from her walker.

The frail elderly are generally over 75 years of age, more likely to be women than men and more likely to be widowed or single than married. They are hard to study. Sociological surveys don't find them because they were in the hospital, were too ill at home to be interviewed or the patient (or relatives on their behalf) refuse to be interviewed. They have deficiencies in socialization, economics, mental health, physical health, and in the activities of daily living. But above all, they are too weak to get around.

We all know about the loss of bone called osteoporosis (or osteopenia). Skeletal muscle makes up about half of our lean body weight. We lose about 2 pounds of muscle each decade starting at 30 so that at 75 we only have 80% of our original muscle mass. In women the loss is somewhat less before and somewhat more after the menopause. A new name, sarcopenia or vanishing flesh has been applied to Maude's illness. It leads to unsteadiness and falls. It is often disguised as the body fills in the lost contour with fat. Muscle loss can throw you into disabling inactivity.

The over 75 age group is the fastest growing segment of the population. But with that population weakness and dependency has been shown to have decreased 10% in the past 20 years. Better medical care and better health habits have caused this improvement. A "disuse syndrome" has been defined that leads to cardiovascular vulnerability, musculoskeletal fragility, obesity, depression, and to premature aging. Those who are up and active less than 4 hours daily are especially susceptible.

What can be done? Frailty is often reversible.

Domestic duck's wing, bone and muscles, weigh less and their legs weigh more than their wild duck cousins. Tame ducks fly much less and walk more than their wild ancestors. The saying "use it or lose it" is very true. Stretching muscles stimulates them to grow. Sacropenia can be slowed but not totally prevented by regular exercise. How often do you climb stairs? Can you rise from a chair without leaning on the arms? Do you dance or swim regularly? If not, is muscle loss robbing you of your independence? Fifteen weeks of regular exercise can reduce your risk of falling by 50%.

Is this loss of muscle power normal aging or is it a newly recognized disease which we might be able to avoid or treat? Giving a name to it such as sacropenia is the first step to defining it and doing research to help the Maude's of the world.

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See related Patient Topics Bones, Joints and Muscles, Osteoporosis, Seniors' Health or Women's Health.

See related Provider Topics Bones, Joints and Muscles, Osteoporosis, Seniors' Health or Women's Health.

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