Muscle Atrophy And Senior Balance Exercises

Senior Balance Exercises For Muscle Weakness

By Suzanne Stoke, Physical Therapist @ Exercise For Balance via www.exerciseforbalance.com

   In our later years, we all experience muscle weakness and atrophy, which can lead to symptoms including imbalance and the necessity of practicing senior balance exercises everyday. Please see     http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now Muscle atrophy is part of the natural decline experienced by older individuals. Secondary consequences of muscle weakness can be decreased mobility, imbalance and changes in the musculoskeletal system including Osteoarthritis. To be more specific, muscles play an important role in joint biomechanics as they produce movement, absorb loading, and provide dynamic joint stability, and thus they are involved in the joint adaptation and degeneration process of Osteoarthritis. Several studies have investigated the effect of muscular weakness and imbalance on the induction of Osteoarthritis. It is commonly accepted that, due to age or previous trauma, muscles are less intensively used. Such weak muscles do not only fatigue more rapidly, but they also display a slower voluntary and reflex motor control. Thus, once the protective muscular control is lost, excessive joint movement and instability with pathological shear and peak joint forces occur. As a consequence, stress-induced microtrauma to the articular cartilage leads to cartilage degeneration, pathological subchondral pressure increase, consequent subchondral bone sclerosis, and consequent joint collaps with axis mal-deviation leading to the typical pathobiomechanical Osteoarthritis  vicious circle. Herzog and Longino investigated the relationship of muscular dysfunction and the development of Osteoarthritis in a rabbit model. In their study, knee extensor muscles of rabbits were injected with Botulinum type-A toxin causing a substantial reduction in muscle strength while maintaining functionality, thereby reproducing the clinical picture seen in patients with quadriceps weakness. Histological analyses of joint sections revealed signs of joint degeneration in two out of five animals sacrificed 4 weeks after injection with BTX-A, indicating that even a short period of muscle weakness might be a risk factor for Osteoarthritis. In the development of knee joint Osteoarthritis, quadriceps weakness has been suggested to be a risk factor. In this regard, a prospective study was carried out by Slemenda et al. investigating the occurrence of Osteoarthritis in women in a specified timeframe. His results showed that women developing Osteoarthritis had reduced knee extensor strength when compared to unaffected participants of the study. A recent investigation by Valderrabano et al. reported similar results in patients with unilateral ankle Osteoarthritis. The authors were able to show that patients with ankle Osteoarthritis display a reduced calf circumference and had reduced mean electromyography frequencies of lower leg muscles on the affected side. These studies point to the fact that muscle atrophy leads to both joint degradation and decreased balance abilities.  Consequently, it is essential for older individuals to rehearse both strengthening exercises and senior balance exercises for better overall mobility.

Add Strength Exercises To Senior Balance Exercises

           Practicing a combination of lower extremity strengthening  and senior balance exercises can help slow the progression of joint issues like Osteoarthritis. There are many synergistic exercise routines that work on muscle development and balance training at the same time. One easy routine to start with involves standing with your feet shoulder width a part and raising up your heels into a tor raise position. During this exercise you will be building strength in your calf muscles. YOu can challenge your stability by not holding on to a counter as you perform this routine. You can further advance your balance abilities by rehearsing the toe raising routine with your eyes closed. You can learn these strengthening and senior balance exercises by following the direction of an experienced Physical Therapist in the Exercise For Balance DVD.

Senior Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

    To overcome muscle atrophy and imbalance, please begin the best balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD. The easy to follow Exercise For Balance DVD is the ultimate educational DVD to use at home or in a group setting. The comprehensive Exercise For Balance DVD comes complete with the best balance and strength exercises needed to develop senior fitness and to perform basic activities like walking, standing, grocery shopping, stair climbing or to advance to high level activities like playing golf, dancing and hiking. In the up to date Exercise For Balance DVD, you will learn how to improve balance, steadiness techniques and balance routines from a balance instructor--- licensed Physical Therapist-- who has worked with balance and dizziness disorders for over 25 years. Get your copy of the Exercise For Balance DVD by clicking on the BUY NOW button

   Enhance your mobility by starting balance exercises today with the Exercise For Balance DVD to improve balance and prevent falls.
For more information see http://www.mayoclinic.com/health-information/