Today I’m going to cover a sarcopenia exercise program for older adults and seniors. It will help you combat muscle loss as you age.
What many people don’t realize is that sarcopenia begins earlier than we thought – often in our 40s – and accelerates after 50.
The European consensus on the definition and diagnosis of sarcopenia (1) states that sarcopenia has multiple contributing factors such as:
- The ageing process itself
- The developmental influences from your younger years,
- A less-than-optimal diet,
- Having an episode of bed rest or a sedentary lifestyle,
- Chronic diseases and certain drug treatments
Sarcopenia creates a cascade of problems including:
- Weaker muscle contractions
- Reduced coordination
- Slower reaction times
- Compromised balance
Sarcopenia Exercise to Reduce Muscle Loss
All of these factors contribute to an increased fall risk and accelerated muscle loss.
A 2023 paper titled Exercise for sarcopenia in older people: A systematic review and network meta-analysis (2) showed that resistance exercise and the combination of resistance exercise with weight bearing exercise and balance training were the most effective interventions for improving quality of life.
So today I want to share my top five exercise choices to increase muscle strength and muscle mass for older adults with sarcopenia.
Exercise for Sarcopenia: Walking
Let’s start with an aerobic exercise that most everyone has access to: walking.
My oldest patient, Babs, at 97 would make sure she would reach her daily target number of corridor lengths.
Even when she transitioned to using a walker, she succeeded to keep it up until the day before she died.
Walking is not only functional, it is great for improving circulation, helps you with your blood sugars and increases opportunities to meet others.
Here are some walking tips:
- Establish your baseline. Be it the number of times you walk the hallway or blocks in your neighborhood.
- Time yourself.
- Gradually increase your distance and your pace, but not both at the same time.
- Keep track of your success. Write it down where others can see it and encourage you along.
Four Resistance Exercises for Sarcopenia
The next four exercises are resistance exercises for sarcopenia. These strength training exercises can be done at your kitchen counter:
- Butterfly Wings
- Heel Raises
- Push Ups
- High Knees for Your Core and Hip Flexor
How many should you do is very dependent on your current strength and function.
- Start with one set of 5 of each exercise.
- Gradually build to 3 sets of 10.
Exercise for Osteoporosis Course
Exercise is an essential ingredient to bone health. If you have osteoporosis, therapeutic exercise needs to be part of your osteoporosis treatment program.
But what exercises should you do and which ones should you avoid? What exercises build bone and which ones reduce your chance of a fracture? Is Yoga good for your bones? Who should you trust when it comes to exercises for osteoporosis?
A great resource on exercise and osteoporosis is my free, seven day email course called Exercise Recommendations for Osteoporosis. After you provide your email address, you will receive seven consecutive online educational videos on bone health — one lesson each day. You can look at the videos at anytime and as often as you like.
I cover important topics related to osteoporosis exercise including:
- Can exercise reverse osteoporosis?
- Stop the stoop — how to avoid kyphosis and rounded shoulders.
- Key components of an osteoporosis exercise program.
- Key principles of bone building.
- Exercises you should avoid if you have osteoporosis.
- Yoga and osteoporosis — should you practice yoga if you have osteoporosis?
- Core strength and osteoporosis — why is core strength important if you have osteoporosis?
Enter your email address and I will start you on this free course. I do not SPAM or share your email address (or any information) with third parties. You can unsubscribe from my mail list at any time.
Bonus Sarcopenia Exercise: Balance
As promised, I have a bonus balance exercise for you to try.
Pause the video if you need to sit for a minute or two before you do the balance exercise.
Also, if you are comfortable removing your footwear, I encourage you to do so. It will help you strengthen the smaller, intrinsic foot muscles.
- Stand between your counter top and chair.
- Bring your feet together. Keep your hands just above your support surfaces and when you are comfortable you can close your eyes.
- Hold this position for 20 seconds. If it feels too easy you can progress to stepping forward, holding the position.
- If you feel stable look from side to side. Repeat this with your other leg forward.
Conclusion to Sarcopenia Exercise
Sarcopenia may be a natural part of aging, but as we’ve seen, it’s not something we have to passively accept. By incorporating these five key exercises into your routine – walking, high knees, pushups, butterfly wings, and heel raises – plus our bonus balance exercise, you’re taking powerful steps toward maintaining your independence and quality of life.
Remember that consistency is more important than intensity. Start where you are, track your progress, and gradually build up your strength and endurance. Even small improvements can lead to significant gains in your daily functioning and confidence.
The research is clear: combining resistance training with weight bearing exercises and balance exercises provides the most comprehensive approach to combating sarcopenia. Each exercise we’ve covered targets different muscle groups and aspects of fitness that work together to keep you strong, stable, and mobile.
If you’re just beginning your journey to combat muscle loss, be patient with yourself. Celebrate each small victory – whether it’s walking an extra hallway length like Babs at 97, or progressing from one set to three sets of your strength exercises.
Most importantly, know that it’s never too late to start. Your body has an amazing capacity to respond to exercise at any age. By taking action today, you’re investing in a stronger, more capable tomorrow.
Margaret Martin
Further Readings
References
- Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Bahat G, Bauer J, Boirie Y, Bruyère O, Cederholm T, Cooper C, Landi F, Rolland Y, Sayer AA, Schneider SM, Sieber CC, Topinkova E, Vandewoude M, Visser M, Zamboni M; Writing Group for the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2), and the Extended Group for EWGSOP2. Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age Ageing. 2019 Jan 1;48(1):16-31. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afy169. Erratum in: Age Ageing. 2019 Jul 1;48(4):601. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afz046. PMID: 30312372; PMCID: PMC6322506.
- Shen Y, Shi Q, Nong K, Li S, Yue J, Huang J, Dong B, Beauchamp M, Hao Q. Exercise for sarcopenia in older people: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2023 Jun;14(3):1199-1211. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.13225. Epub 2023 Apr 14. PMID: 37057640; PMCID: PMC10235889.
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