Simple Exercises for Sarcopenia: Enhance Joint Mobility and Muscle Activation

Muscle loss can be managed through exercise with a well-structured training plan and proper warm ups.

pics five/Shutterstock

Exercise is the most effective way to manage sarcopenia symptoms, but it must be done with the right intensity, a well-structured muscle training plan, and proper warm-ups. Proper warm-ups ensure lessened risk of muscle inflammation. Simple warm-up exercises can help improve joint mobility, activate muscles, and even serve as a form of light resistance training.

People with sarcopenia experience muscle loss and reduced strength and are at a higher risk of osteoporosis. Bone metabolism in the human body involves three main types of cells: osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes.

Among them, osteoblasts play a crucial role—when bones experience mechanical stress, these cells stimulate bone formation by depositing calcium and other minerals from the bloodstream, strengthening bone structure. Without regular exercise to provide the necessary stimulation, osteoblast activity decreases, leading to weaker bones.

Muscle growth occurs through a cycle of stimulation, repair, and adaptation. Starting strength training early helps preserve muscle mass and lowers the risk of osteoporosis. However, having a well-structured plan is essential before beginning any exercise routine.

Key Considerations Before Training

Target Muscle Groups

Effective strength training should primarily focus on large muscle groups, including the glutes, quadriceps, chest, and back. Prioritizing these muscles is essential for several key reasons:

• Glutes and quadriceps play a crucial role in functional movements such as walking, climbing stairs, and standing up from a chair.
• Chest training helps counteract the adverse effects of a sedentary lifestyle, which often leads to poor posture, including rounded shoulders, hunchback, and forward head posture. Over time, these imbalances can contribute to spinal issues.
• Back muscle training helps maintain the muscular balance between the front and back of the body, promoting proper posture while sitting and standing. In classical Chinese dance, particular emphasis is placed on strengthening the lower back, specifically the area directly behind the navel and extending down to the tailbone. This region is vital as it connects the upper and lower body.
• Core strength is fundamental for everyday movements, including standing, sitting, lying down, rolling over, and getting out of bed.

Training Intensity

A friend of mine with sarcopenia was advised by his doctor to engage in strength training. However, after working out at the gym, he experienced widespread muscle inflammation, which was confirmed during a follow-up visit.

A randomized controlled trial found that low-intensity resistance training with slow movement and tonic force generation can effectively increase basal limb blood flow and promote muscle hypertrophy and strength. While high-intensity resistance training can also improve these outcomes, it may be associated with risks such as arterial stiffness. To minimize potential risks, low-load resistance training is considered a safer and more effective alternative for improving vascular and muscular health, even in younger populations.

Types of Exercises

Before starting strength training, it is crucial to warm up properly to enhance muscle flexibility and overall balance. In addition to improving joint mobility, good flexibility helps reduce the risk of injury during movement.

For older adults or people who have been inactive for a long time, warm-up exercises can also serve as a gentle form of strength training, gradually activating the muscles and preparing the body for more demanding movements.

Simple Exercises for Managing Sarcopenia

Lift-and-Sink Spinal Stretch

Prolonged sitting or standing can lead to spinal stiffness. This exercise incorporates the “lift” and “sink” techniques from classical Chinese dance to help loosen stiff spinal joints. Focus on your breathing and the sensation of each part of your spine gently, lengthening and relaxing.

Steps:

1. Sit upright with your lower back and core engaged. Imagine a string gently pulling the top of your head upward. Tuck your chin slightly and relax your shoulders.
2. As you exhale, allow your body to “sink” by releasing tension from your Dantian area (lower abdomen). Then, gradually relax your lower back, mid-back, and neck, letting your head naturally drop forward.
3. As you inhale, draw breath into your Dantian area, then sequentially “lift” and engage your lower back, mid-back, and neck. Once your spine is fully lifted and aligned, gently raise your head.

Lateral Waist Stretch With Spinal Rotation

This exercise helps stretch the sides of the body while improving spinal rotation. Keep your back straight throughout the movement, and avoid hunching.

Steps:

1. Sit upright with both arms extended outward at a 180-degree angle.
2. Raise one arm overhead and engage your obliques to initiate the lateral stretch.
3. Once you reach your maximum stretch, lean diagonally toward the opposite knee, feeling a gentle rotation in your spine. Hold for at least 10 seconds, then switch sides.

Seated Spinal Twist

This exercise helps enhance spinal mobility and flexibility. Keep your back straight throughout the movement, and avoid hunching.

Steps:

1. Sit with both legs extended straight in front of you. Bend one knee and cross it over the opposite leg.
2. Rotate your torso toward the bent leg while maintaining an upright spine. Hold for at least 10 seconds, then switch sides.

Assisted Prone Back Extension

This exercise strengthens the back and abdominal muscles and can also serve as an introductory strength-training movement for the chest.

Steps:

1. Lie face down with your hands placed on either side of your chest, about a thumb’s length away from your body.
2. Press through your hands to lift your upper body until your navel is off the ground, keeping your shoulders relaxed. Engage your back muscles to hold the position.
3. For an advanced variation, take your hands off the ground and rely solely on your back muscles to keep your torso and limbs elevated—aim to lift them as high as possible.

Lunge With Iliopsoas Stretch

The lunge is a relatively low-intensity exercise that targets the glutes and legs. Combined with an iliopsoas stretch, it helps release tension in the front of the pelvis. This is particularly beneficial for those who sit for long periods.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet in a T-stance, with one foot forward and the other behind, forming a “T” shape.
2. Step one foot forward and lower your hips, keeping your weight centered to feel a stretch along the inner thigh of the back leg.
3. Shift your weight onto the front leg to engage the quadriceps.
4. Lower further into a deep lunge, then raise both arms overhead to deepen the stretch in the iliopsoas muscle. Hold for at least 10 seconds, then switch sides.

Hip Hinge

This movement is excellent for activating the glutes and improving balance, which can help counteract the effects of prolonged sitting.

Steps:

1. Step one foot forward and the other slightly back, placing 70 percent of your weight on the front leg. Keep the back leg light, with only the toes touching the ground for support.
2. Push your hips back until you feel tension in your glutes. Let your arms move naturally as you hinge forward.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.