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Dangerous Deterioration
Losing Muscle Mass and What You Can Do About It
By Suzy Feine
A strength-training program can help regain some of the lost muscle mass "through physical exercise and training, especially a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training," says Dr. Elton Strauss, reconstructive orthopedist and chief of orthopedic trauma and adult reconstructive surgery at the Mount Sinai Hospital Center in New York, N.Y.
Resistance or strength training involves the use of weights or the weight of your own body to build muscle and bone mass. This type of exercise program can reverse the effects of sarcopenia if done correctly and often.
And it's never too late to begin a strength-training program. Scientists have discovered that lean muscle mass can increase at any age if a strength-training program is started and maintained.
Strength training has other benefits as well. "Strength training does protect your heart," says Jim Labadie, fitness trainer. "The stronger your muscles are the less your heart has to strain to deliver oxygen and remove waste products."
Beginning any type of exercise program after muscles have begun to atrophy can result in sore muscles, muscle tears or a host of other medical problems. The term "boomeritis" was coined to explain how baby boomers, those aged 35 to 54, sustain sports injuries by attempting only sporadic exercise.
Dr. Strauss has seen an increasing number of "boomeritis" patients in recent years. "Boomeritis affects males and females over the age of 35," he says. "Age is not important in their mind, and sports-related exercise improves their daily well-being, both physically and emotionally. They want to do more, not less, and feel that age-related problems would be conquered with medicine and surgery when needed."