Exercise and Your Bones and Muscles

It goes without saying that regular exercise improves muscle function, but there is more going on there than you might be aware of.  For one thing, regular exercise improves the function of various satellite cells in muscle that help keep muscle fibers functioning well.  Regular exercise also helps to reduce fatty deposits in muscle, deposits that can increase the risk of dementia.  Regular exercise also helps to reverse the process of sarcopenia, the gradual loss of muscle mass, that starts around the age of 35 and accelerates around the age of 60.  This is important because that loss of muscle mass is associated with diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes, and overall loss of function.  When it comes to your joints, regular low impact exercise, like walking, can help reduce pain scores in people with knee arthritis.

Remember: before starting an exercise program, talk with your doctor first.