6.2: Age Related Changes to the Skeletal Muscle System

Last updated
Save as PDF

Page ID: 40604

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

As one ages the mass of skeletal muscle decreases throughout the body. The muscles atrophy resulting in a decreased number of muscle fibers and decrease in the size of the remaining fibers. As skeletal muscles are postmitotic they can not reproduce to produce new fibers. As a result the fibers are replaced with fat tissue. The muscle fiber loss has been reported to be as high as 30% between the ages of 30 and 80. Proper nutrition and exercise can slow the loss muscle cells, but heredity also seems to be a factor.

Along with the loss of skeletal muscle mass comes the loss of skeletal muscle strength. For most individuals there is only a ten to twenty percent reduction in strength up to the age of seventy. After the age of seventy the reduction in strength may increase to fifty percent.

Contributors and Attributions

Age Related Changes to the Skeletal Muscle System. Authored by: Kelly, Jessica. Provided by: Herkimer College. Located at: NA. Project: AtD Course. License: CC BY: Attribution