About 300,000 elderly people in Taiwan have sarcopenia, an age-related condition that causes degenerative muscle loss, a doctor from the Spine Center at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital said on Friday.
The risk of sarcopenia increases with age, with the rate of muscle deterioration increasing after the age of 70, Chiu Ping-yeh (邱炳燁) said.
Approximately 6.8 to 10 percent of Taiwanese aged 65 or older have the condition, he said.
Photo: Lin Liang-che, Taipei Times
Muscle weakness not only increases the risk of falls, but makes accidents more likely to result in elderly people fracturing bones, becoming confined to their bed or infirm, he said.
It might also lead to deterioration of the spine, which can cause back pain and poor posture in a vicious cycle that only worsens the issue, he added.
Regular exercise while young, particularly strengthening the core and leg muscles, can decrease the likelihood of later developing sarcopenia, he said.
Chiu recommended that those older than 40 take brisk walks, climb stairs or do squats, as well as ensure they have sufficient protein intake, plenty of sunlight and avoid sitting for long periods.
A 68-year-old woman surnamed Tseng (曾) began to experience issues after a fall that caused a shin fracture, she told a news conference hosted yesterday to raise awareness.
Tseng did not regularly exercise when she was young, and began to notice as she aged that she became tired while walking, had osteoporosis and even struggled to open bottle caps, she said.
After an operation, she began a strenuous physiotherapy course which helped her to walk with more stability, she said.
After physical therapy, she was able to go hiking and swimming with her husband every day so she could slowly build back muscle strength, she added.
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital organizes an annual Yongqing Cup Road Race to promote regular exercise and healthy lifestyles, Taipei branch director Huang Chi-jen (黃集仁) said.
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