This week, Lisa Vernon, physiotherapist, is going to give us some thoughts on how the idea of ‘use it or lose it’ relates to muscle.
Take it away, Lisa!
It was once thought that muscle atrophy was a normal part of ageing. There is now evidence that suggests otherwise.
A study by Wroblewski et al. (2015) looked at MRI scans of the mid-thigh (quadriceps) in long-time exercisers compared to sedentary people.
First they compared the muscle mass in masters athletes aged 40-81. These athletes trained 4-5 times a week in running, swimming or cycling.
They found that the thigh of a 40 year old masters athlete looked that same as that of a 70 year old masters athlete in terms of muscle mass. That is really cool!
When they compared the image of a healthy but sedentary 70- year old compared to a 70 year-old masters athlete it showed a drastic decrease in the amount of muscle.
The verdict……
Regular exercise plays a really important role in maintaining our muscle mass as we age.
Any exercise is better than none.
And if you don’t use it ( your muscles) you lose it ( muscle mass and strength)
Remember, as Kirsty and Lisa like to say
It doesn’t matter how slow you go….. you are still lapping everybody on the couch.
