Strength training can benefit muscles and bones throughout life
By Lori Weinzatl, Ministry Rehab Services
March 3, 2017
“Strong bones and strong muscles go together. And both are essential to good health, mobility and independence in old age. That’s the conclusion of recent studies linking sarcopenia and osteopenia to an increased risk of falls, fractures and the possible need for long term care of older adults.
Sarco refers to muscle; osteo means bone and penia, loss.
Osteopenia and osteoporosis (a more severe loss of bone density) have long been known to pose threats to older men as well as women. Recent research has found that sarcopenia is also a hazard. And the combination of bone and muscle loss is more debilitating than either on its own.
For most humans, both muscle mass and bone density reach their peak by age 30 and decline gradually thereafter, becoming more noticeable around age 60 or 70.
But it’s not just the size of your muscles that counts; it’s their strength and ability to function–grip strength, walking speed, balance, mobility. And these, too, decline with advancing age.
Reduced muscle mass can co-exist with lower bone density or it can cause those changes. When muscles are strong, they exert a strong mechanical force on the bones around them, giving the bones what they need to stay dense and strong. Conversely, weak muscles lead to weaker bones.”