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How does muscle atrophy in older adults affect strength and agility?
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atrophy
One example of atrophy is the progressive loss of bone that occurs in osteoporosis (normal bone shown on left; osteoporotic bone shown on right).
In the context of aging, muscle atrophy—often referred to as sarcopenia—is a common physiological change that directly impacts physical performance. As individuals age, they experience a gradual decline in both the number of muscle fibres and the size of individual fibres.1
This wasting of muscle tissue leads to a measurable loss of muscular strength and agility. The structural changes within the muscle cells, combined with this reduction in mass, diminish the body's functional capacity, making movements less efficient and reducing overall physical power. These atrophic changes are a natural part of the senescence process, though they can be influenced by environmental factors, inherited constitution, and the presence of disease.1