Age-related changes in joints As you age, joint movement becomes stiffer and less flexible because the amount of lubricating fluid inside your joints decreases and the cartilage becomes thinner. Ligaments also tend to shorten and lose some flexibility, making joints feel stiff.
There are currently no treatments to reverse this cartilage stiffening and the resulting damage. Treatments such as exercise, weight loss, physical therapy, medications, injections, and joint replacement surgery are aimed at reducing pain and improving mobility.
It's thought that our tendons get tighter around joints and the cartilage between our joints deteriorates. There is also a general deterioration in ligaments and a reduction in fluid within the joint (synovial fluid) along with tightening of muscles surrounding the joint.
Research suggests that a person's balance can begin to decline around midlife. In one study led by researchers at Duke Health, adults in their 30s and 40s could balance on one leg for close to one minute. Adults in their 50s were able to stand on one leg for about 45 seconds, and those in their 70s for 26 seconds.
As you age, joint movement becomes stiffer and less flexible because the amount of lubricating fluid inside your joints decreases and the cartilage becomes thinner. Ligaments also tend to shorten and lose some flexibility, making joints feel stiff.
Sitting too long can make your muscles and joints stiff, so when you try to walk afterward, they may take time to “wake up” and work properly.
Magnesium. Magnesium plays a major role in muscle function and relaxation. Low levels of this vitamin make you prone to muscle cramps, stiffness, and spasms. This essential mineral helps your muscles absorb glucose, increasing your blood sugar availability for muscle use and repair.
Age-related changes to muscle tone and bone strength (also known as sarcopenia) start happening earlier than you may think, in your 30s and 40s. In addition to weakness, our tendons and ligaments lose some of their flexibility and elasticity, leaving us more prone to injuries and falls, shares Christopher.
“Everyone gets weaker as we age because our muscles start to lose mass, especially the large muscles in our legs that we use to stand.” Getting up also requires balance, coordination, flexibility and aerobic capacity, which can decline over the years.
Our joints are capable of so much more range of motion but as they say “if you don't use it, you lose it”. So as we age and joints naturally get a little stiffer and that available range starts to decrease.
Some common factors are linked with problems walking. Advancing age, a lack of physical activity, impaired strength and balance, and obesity can lead to a loss of mobility. Diabetes and arthritis are chronic diseases that can also increase seniors' risk factors for immobility.
Arthritis and Joint Degeneration
Arthritis, especially in the spine or hips, can lead to stiffness, pain, and limited mobility. Degeneration of spinal joints may restrict movement and cause you to adopt a forward-leaning posture for relief, making it hard to stand up fully.
Keep your eyes open and your hands on your hips. Stand on one leg without any other support. Time starts when your foot leaves the ground and stops when you put your foot back down, or take your hands off your hips. See if you can maintain the pose for your age category.
Fruit juices. Like electrolyte-rich sports drinks, drinking 100% fruit juices helps replenish electrolytes lost through sweating, as well as carbohydrates and glucose. Tart cherry juice is growing in popularity because it contains anti-inflammatory chemicals that help prevent muscle damage and reduce muscle soreness.
Morning stiffness is a symptom of several types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis (OA), the common type many people get as they age. It's also a warning sign of inflammatory types of arthritis such as: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Psoriatic arthritis (PsA)
Heat can relax joints and muscles and lessen pain before exercise. Deliver the heat with warm towels, hot packs or a shower. The temperature should be warm, not painfully hot. Use for about 20 minutes.
Even if a bone isn't broken, sometimes older adults have trouble getting up from a fall without assistance. This is partly because people don't learn this skill and partly because people become more stiff and less agile as they get older.
Stretching, exercising more frequently and improving your posture all can help relieve muscle stiffness. Rarely, muscle stiffness can point to an underlying, more serious infection or medical condition.
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): Examples include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), diclofenac, or naproxen (Aleve) to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. Topical NSAIDs, such as diclofenac gel. Acetaminophen: suitable for those who cannot tolerate NSAIDs or have stomach issues.