How does Sarcopenia affect the musculoskeletal system?

SARCOPENIA;- Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass due to the natural aging process. It is an age related, involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength.

This decrease in muscle leads to a reduction in a person's strength. As a result, their balance and gait are also affected. Sarcopenia is increasingly defined by both loss of muscle mass and loss of muscle function or strength. The physiological and morphological changes in skeletal muscle with advancing age are characterized by overall declines in size and number of skeletal muscle fibers, mainly the type 2 or fast-twitch muscle fibers, and a marked infiltration of fibrous and adipose tissue into the skeletal muscle.

The loss of muscle mass involves both a reduction in the number of muscle fibers and a decrease in their size. The combination of fewer and smaller muscle fibers causes the muscles to atrophy or shrink.

As a person ages, certain changes take place in the body that play a role in the development of sarcopenia.

Step-by-step explanation

CAUSE OF SARCOPENIA;-

Causes include

1. declines in hormones
2. decline in numbers of neuromuscular junctions,
3. increased inflammation,
4. declines in activity,
5. inadequate nutrition.
6. age related molecular changes.

Age-related hormonal changes may also lead to a decrease in muscle mass. Typically, levels of testosterone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) affect muscle growth and muscle mass.

The decline in hormone levels may be a contributing factor to the loss of muscle mass.

Symptoms

Symptoms of sarcopenia may vary depending on how much muscle mass a person has lost. Symptoms include:

• a decrease in muscle size
• weakness
• loss of endurance
• poor balance
• trouble climbing stairs

A decline in muscle mass may not seem like a big concern for most people. However, muscle loss can be significant enough to cause weakness, increase fall risk, and limit a person's independence.

Sarcopenia may also cause a person to reduce their participation in physical activities. This decrease in activity causes even further muscle loss, which can adversely affect a person's quality of life.

EFFECT OF THE SARCOPENIA ON THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM;-

1. Bones become more brittle and may break more easily. Overall height decreases, mainly because the trunk and spine shorten.
2. Breakdown of the joints may lead to inflammation, pain, stiffness, and deformity. Joint changes affect almost all older people. These changes range from minor stiffness to severe arthritis.
3. The posture may become more stooped (bent). The knees and hips may become more flexed. The neck may tilt, and the shoulders may narrow while the pelvis becomes wider.
4. Movement slows and may become limited. The walking pattern (gait) becomes slower and shorter. Walking may become unsteady, and there is less arm swinging. Older people get tired more easily and have less energy.
5. Strength and endurance change. Loss of muscle mass reduces strength.
6. Muscles are less toned and less able to contract because of changes in the muscle tissue and normal aging changes in the nervous system. Muscles may become rigid with age and may lose tone, even with regular exercise.
7. Lipofuscin (an age-related pigment) and fat are deposited in muscle tissue. The muscle fibers shrink. Muscle tissue is replaced more slowly. Lost muscle tissue may be replaced with a tough fibrous tissue. This is most noticeable in the hands, which may look thin and bony.
8. Hip and knee joints may begin to lose cartilage (degenerative changes). The finger joints lose cartilage and the bones thicken slightly. Finger joint changes are more common in women. These changes may be inherited.