“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.
Reduced Flexibility: Aging often leads to decreased flexibility, which can limit the range of motion needed to get up from the floor. Cognitive Factors: Cognitive decline can affect a senior's ability to plan and execute the movements needed to get up safely, as well as their awareness of their physical limitations.
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.
“An inability to get up off the floor” is not only an age-related struggle. In most cases it is a result of muscle strength loss or a lack of flexibility at best. It is a serious matter, as worst-case scenario being stuck on the ground injured (no phone within reach) could be downright life-threatening.
Age-related changes in muscle
Muscle fibres reduce in number and shrink in size. Muscle tissue is replaced more slowly and lost muscle tissue is replaced with a tough, fibrous tissue. Changes in the nervous system cause muscles to have reduced tone and ability to contract.
There are a few reasons this happens. As we age, bones, joints and muscles tend to become weak. Movements feeling stiff is often our perception of the increased effort required to perform daily tasks. Many older people have ageing-associated conditions that can contribute to muscle stiffness.
The unspoken struggles—the loss of loved ones, physical decline, loneliness, financial concerns, and adapting to technological changes—are challenges that require resilience and a supportive community.
Mortality rates in fallers and non-fallers
Those who had reported >1 fall in the last 3 months had an average mortality of 16.4% in the next year (40.5% mortality over 3 years) compared with 8.5% (25.7% over 3 years) for non-fallers. The highest mortality was confined to those aged over 85 years (both genders).
Kyphosis is an excessive forward rounding of the upper back. In older people, kyphosis is often due to weakness in the spinal bones that causes them to compress or crack. Other types of kyphosis can appear in infants or teens. These types are due to malformation of the spine or wedging of the spinal bones over time.
Calf muscles propel the body forward, and calf muscle strength declines with age. However, older people seem to compensate for decreased calf strength by using their hip flexor and extensor muscles more than young adults. Cadence, which is the number of steps taken in a minute, does not slow down with age.
1. You aren't moving enough. One of the biggest mistakes we see patients with knee pain make is to begin using their knees less.
Drag yourself across the floor using your forearms, hands or knuckles if your wrists hurt. If you can use your “good” knee, bring it forward as you stretch out your arms toward your destination. Drag yourself by alternating knees and forearms. Use the strength in your legs to push yourself forward.
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.
While some people have difficulty getting off the floor because of medical conditions such as vertigo, postural hypotension, prior injuries and/or arthritis, the majority of people who are unable to stand up have age-related deficits in hip and/or core strength that can be corrected with appropriate exercises.
This stereotype is not supported by research. Contrary to the stereotypes, older adults are generally happier and more mentally stable than other age groups. Aging brings numerous other benefits, such as choice, creativity, and personal development, that have been verified by research.
Usually, our energy declines because of normal changes. Both genes and environment lead to alterations in cells that cause aging muscles to lose mass and strength and to become less flexible. As a result, strenuous activities become more tiring.