If you don’t use it - you can in fact lose it!

As we age, it is quite normal to experience some age related changes happening at our muscles and joints. These changes can often occur at different timescales for different people with some experiencing them earlier and later than others. In my experience as a physiotherapist - there are many things people overlook when it comes to slowing down and in many cases reversing the negative side effects of the conditions I hope to elaborate on next! Over time, our body can be prone to degenerative changes to both bone and soft tissue. In this instance we will highlight the more common conditions we will start to see as we age. Firstly we will refer to sarcopenia - which relates to muscle loss we experience as we start to grow older - often highlighted as a 1-2% loss of lean muscle mass each year once we hit 40 years of age! This may sound insignificant - but over 10 years that is approximately 10-20% of your muscle mass lost.

We can see similar changes when it comes to osteoporosis - this condition refers to our bone density. As we get older we can become more susceptible. As you can imagine - this can be quite a risk as we age as our bones can become a little more fragile and we can have a higher risk of breaks, fractures, etc. should we have a bad fall or similar trauma. Similar conditions like osteoarthritis can also become more common as we age which can also be better managed as we age if we take a proactive approach.

Now - you're probably wondering why I have highlighted the following doom and gloom. You might be wondering if there is something we can do to better manage this and improve our resilience to the age-related changes above! The good news is yes, there is something we can start doing right away that can help better manage all of the above - it involves looking back up at the title. We must use our body with some purpose and direction toward strengthening it! This involves doing some form of exercise that helps to load your muscles, joints and connective tissue in a graded, progressive manner where your body can adapt. This will help to slow down and in many cases reverse/improve any negative changes in relation to muscle mass and bone density - helping you to build a body that is strong, resilient and functional to better manage the stressors of daily life. I will reiterate my message from last week's article below as I feel it ties in nicely to this week's topic!

Exercise and movement is what keeps us moving. Motion is lotion and it’s what helps us to continue doing the things we enjoy as we age. As somebody who is ageing, no matter how old - I firmly believe one of the best things you can do for your health, longevity and reducing the frequency/severity of any pain related symptoms - is incorporating an appropriate strength focused gym session into your lifestyle that meets you where you are at, and more importantly has options available to progress and make things a little harder as you grow stronger and more competent. This alongside frequent daily walks and other similar activities are what helps best to keep things moving in the right direction!

If you are on the fence about online coaching and want to know a little bit more about the process - just email me the word “ready” and I will be in touch! Please get in touch through the contact information below to check availability and avoid disappointment as spaces are limited! Please visit my new website www.coachedbycashel.com for more info!

Lastly, I would also like to clarify that I am not a registered dietician. All advice disclosed here is simply advisory based on my qualifications as a fitness professional and personal experience and knowledge gained working with individuals and helping them reach their goals. The advice given is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health. 

I hope someone out there found some of this information useful here, just some food for thought. For any questions in relation to this topic or training, nutrition, etc. or for coaching inquiries simply message me on my business page on instagram @coachedbycashel_ or by email - contact@coachedbycashel.com