HOW THE ARMS, LEGS, AND MUSCLES AGE
As I talk with my midlife and older patients about how aging affects their bodies, I find that one of their most common complaints is how they find it increasingly difficult to keep pace with the busy lives they lead. In fact, the medical problems that bring patients into the office more often than any other illness involve limitations of movement and their concern that they’re not able to run around as easily as before. The enormous sums of money that are spent on prescription medications, over-the-counter preparations, physical therapy, and surgery that promise to help us stay mobile attest to the frustration we feel when we can’t move freely.
Many of these mobility problems are due to one of several kinds of arthritis—osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis among them—and the related health problems that stem from these diseases. In fact, as many as 60 percent of the population over 55 reports having a form of arthritis, whether it’s mild or severe.
Arthritis is not the only disorder that affects our ability to stay mobile. Certain skin disorders and diseases of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and vascular system affect us as well, and aging affects the movements of our joints, ligaments, and muscles: the ligaments become less elastic, and the muscles lose some of their strength as a result of the decrease in muscle mass that is inevitable as we age—even in bodybuilders. No matter what, the best way to keep the joints, ligaments, and muscles in top working order, despite the effects of age, is to remain active and get some exercise every day.
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Tags: General health