Sarcopenia is a syndrome involving low muscle mass and function in aging individuals due to disuse atrophy. Risk factors include low physical activity, low BMI, functional impairment, and history of falls. It involves specific loss of type II muscle fibers and denervation. Both aerobic and resistance exercise are beneficial for older adults by improving muscle size and function. Combined exercise interventions incorporating resistance training, aerobic exercise, balance, and flexibility exercises several times per week are most effective for treating sarcopenia.

1. Sarcopenia
Exercise For Health.

2. Q: What is sarcopenia?

3. A: Sarcopenia is a syndrome involving
low overall muscle mass and reduced
muscle function in the ageing
individual, at least partly as a result of
disuse atrophy

4. Q: What are the risk
factors for sarcopenia?

5. A: Individuals with low physical activity and Body
Mass Index (BMI) are at a greater risk for developing
sarcopenia. Functional impairment and low scores
on functional tests such as single leg stance time and
handgrip strength, as well as a history of falls, may
also be risk factors

6. Q: What factors influence
muscle size and strength
in elderly people?

7. A: Sarcopenia appears to involve a specific loss of
type II muscle fiber area and muscle fiber number as
a result of denervation. An inability to stimulate
muscle protein synthesis via signalling and increased
oxidative stress may also lead to the accelerated
muscle wasting associated with sarcopenia

8. Q: Is aerobic exercise
useful for the treatment of
sarcopenia?

9. A: Aerobic exercise is beneficial for older adults and
has positive effects on both aerobic and anaerobic
capacity and leads to increases in muscle fiber size
and improvements in functional characteristics

10. Q: Is resistance-training
useful in the treatment of
sarcopenia?

11. A: Resistance training is beneficial to older adults by
offering positive improvements in muscle size and
force characteristics, including peak power, as well
as improving measures of physical function and
health-related quality of life

12. Q: Are combined exercise
interventions useful for
sarcopenia?

13. A: Combined exercise interventions are efficacious
for older adults and have positive outcomes in
physical function, quality of life, muscle strength and
aerobic capacity

14. Q: What are evidence-based
guidelines for
exercise interventions in
sarcopenia?

15. A: Guidelines recommend a combined program of
resistance training, aerobic exercise, balance and
flexibility exercises for older adults, several times per
week in order to prevent or combat sarcopenia

16. For more information:
www.exercise-for-health.com/sarcopenia

17. Exercise For Health.