Be. Well. Aging Strong: Bone and Muscle Loss Can Be Prevented

Help! “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up” is more than a cliché. Each year, it is estimated that one in every three adults ages 65 and older experiences a fall, and according to the CDC, falls lead to more than 800,000 hospitalizations a year for various injuries, including bone fractures, which for some can lead to more serious complications, long-term care or death. So, why are so many people of a certain age losing their balance?

Everyone’s Bones and Muscles Weaken with Age

Many are familiar with the bone-weakening condition of osteoporosis, but what’s less commonly known is that, although everyone’s bone density may not decrease to a level considered below normal, everyone’s bones do weaken over time to varying degrees. In fact, Mayo Clinic found that around 54 million people in the United States are affected by either osteoporosis or its precursor, osteopenia (low bone mass), and occurrences of osteoporosis in women age 50 years and older are four times higher compared to men, according to the National Institutes of Health. Studies indicate age-related muscle loss “can begin at around age 35 and occur at a rate of 1-2 percent a year for the typical person. After age 60, it can accelerate to 3 percent a year.”

Muscles and bones work together to keep us strong and balanced. When muscles weaken, your bones will follow, along with the ability to make the quick adjustments necessary to avoid a fall.

And these are not the only culprits that weaken mobility and muscle function. With age, people tend to exercise and train less. Without these interventions, overall health, mobility and balance can deteriorate, increasing your frailty and risk of disability.

Add Strength Training to Your Exercise Routine for Muscle and Bone Preservation

Strength training, which is also called resistance training, uses varying forms of external resistance to improve your strength. Resistance forms may include your own body weight (e.g., squats, lunges), medicine balls, dumbbells and/or resistance bands.

Research shows that along with remaining active, strength training two to three times a week can reduce bone loss and prevent four to six pounds of muscle loss per decade.

Before beginning a new strength training program, it is best to consult your physician, set goals for your training and start gradually (e.g., calf raises, seated knee extensions, chair dips, etc.) two to three times a week.

Additionally, women covered under the Health Plan who are age 65 and older, or under age 64 and have gone through menopause, are entitled to annual bone density screenings free of charge under the Health Plan’s preventive care services when performed by a network provider.

Did you know strength training boasts these benefits?

• strengthens back muscles, which prevent or reduce lower back pain
• reduces arthritis pain and greater joint mobility
• promotes better balance and stability, reducing your chances of falling
• healthier weight