Strength fades faster than muscle as we age. Here's what the research says works, simple steps to start this week, and where chiropractic fits.
Most people expect to slow down as they get older. Fewer people realise how much of that slowdown is about strength, and how much of it is within their control.
This post is for anyone in their 50s, 60s or beyond who wants to keep doing the things they enjoy. Gardening. Lifting a grandchild. Walking the dog around Lake Monger. Getting up off the floor with ease.
We tend to think of ageing as losing muscle. That's part of it. But research shows that strength is lost faster than muscle size.
A review of studies on ageing muscle found that by around age 75, people lose about 0.6 to 1% of their muscle mass each year. Strength drops much faster, at about 2.5 to 4% each year. In studies that measured both in the same people, strength fell two to five times faster than muscle mass (Mitchell et al., 2012).
That matters because you use strength every day. It's what gets you up a flight of stairs, out of a low chair, or back on your feet if you trip. The same review found that low strength was a more consistent risk marker for disability than low muscle mass.
Here's the encouraging part. Strength responds to training at any age.
The National Strength and Conditioning Association reviewed the research on resistance training in older adults. Their position statement found that regular resistance training helps counter the loss of strength and muscle. It also supports mobility, independence and quality of life (Fragala et al., 2019).
Resistance training doesn't have to mean a gym. It means asking your muscles to work against a load. That load can be your own body weight, a resistance band, a pair of dumbbells or a full shopping bag.
The same statement makes a practical point. Programs work best when they're matched to the person, start at a level you can manage, and build up over time. Frailty or a long-term health condition isn't a reason to avoid strength work. It's a reason to plan it well.
The World Health Organization's 2020 guidelines recommend that adults do 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity each week. They also recommend muscle-strengthening activity for every age group, and less time sitting (Bull et al., 2020).
Their message is simple. Some activity is better than none, and more is better than some.
Falls are a common reason people lose independence as they age. A Cochrane review pooled 108 trials with more than 23,000 people living in the community, with an average age of 76. Exercise programs reduced the rate of falls by 23% compared with control groups. The strongest evidence was for programs that combined balance and functional exercises (Sherrington et al., 2019).
That's an exercise finding, not a chiropractic one. We share it because it shows how much regular, well-chosen movement can do.
You don't need a big plan to get going. Here are some simple places to start.
If anything causes sharp pain, stop. Start where you are, not where you think you should be.
We see many people at Wild who want to stay strong and keep moving as they get older. Some have a sore back or stiff hips that make exercise hard to start. Others feel fine and want a clear picture of how their body is working.
Chiropractic care isn't about one appointment. It's about understanding how your body is moving and supporting you to keep building on it over time.
We'll also talk with you about how strength work and daily movement fit with your care. If you need input from your GP, a physiotherapist or an exercise physiologist, we'll tell you.
Visit one takes about 45 minutes in total. That includes check-in, paperwork and about 30 minutes with your chiropractor. We'll talk about your health history and what you want to keep doing. Then we'll do a thorough examination.
Visit two is where we bring it all together. We take you through what we found, what it means, and what a realistic plan looks like. If you choose to go ahead, care starts at this visit.
There's no pressure to decide on the day, and you can ask anything.
Getting older brings change. But a lot of the strength people lose can be kept, or built back, with regular and well-planned movement.
If you're in Shenton Park, Subiaco, Nedlands, Wembley or Floreat and you'd like help working out where to start, book a first visit or call us on (08) 6280 1210. We're at 160 Onslow Road, Shenton Park.
Feel more you.
This article is general information only and isn't medical advice. Please see a registered health practitioner about your own situation.
Wild Chiropractic is a nervous system-led chiropractic practice in Shenton Park, Perth.
