Detention due to the COVID-19 pandemic can increase the sedentary lifestyle in the older adults and that lack of mobility means less Muscle mass, necessary to control blood sugar, induce movement, maintain postures, protect joints and avoid falls.
A person who spends a long time in bed because of their own state of health loses 1% of their bone mass per week. Therefore, it is important to stimulate range of motion through various exercises that can be done at home using weights and garters.
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According to Geovanny Garita, head of the physiotherapy career at the University of Medical Sciences (UCIMED), it is now more necessary than ever to promote mobility, especially in the elderly.
“From the age of 40, the body begins to lose muscle mass as part of a natural aging process and it is important to regain it in order to prevent our muscles from wasting away and losing blood supply, stability, strength and speed,” says the expert.
Diabetes prevention
Another great benefit of maintaining or increasing muscle mass, and perhaps one of the most important, is the ability to prevent diabetes and it does so thanks to the insulin receptor membranes that are located in the muscles.
“As we increase our muscle mass, we increase the GLUT-4 receptors, which take insulin and bring sugar into the muscle, preventing it from building up in the blood and serving as a source of energy for the body. It has been shown that interval exercises (with changes in intensity) achieve this effect best, ”explains Garita.
No barrier
Captivity shouldn’t be a hindrance to exercise and, at the discretion of the race director, there are many exercises that can be done at home, even for bedridden patients. “The restoration of muscle mass after many days without mobilization requires progressive work through resistance exercises that allow us to subject our muscle fibers to certain loads while we train our cardiovascular part and ensure better functionality,” emphasized the expert.
Increase in muscle mass in people who suffered from COVID-19
It is also important for the hospitalized Covid-19 patients to undergo a process to increase the muscle mass they have lost due to lack of mobility. For this reason, Garita points out that all exercise must be supervised by an expert and that this physical work must be supplemented with a healthy diet that contains protein.
“You have to take into account that another reason for losing muscle mass is that a plaster cast should be used. In this case, the person loses between 20 and 30% of their muscle mass, so a recovery process is essential, ”he added. According to the expert, muscles are necessary to maintain muscle temperature and reduce body fat levels.
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