THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BONE AND MUSCLE: EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON OSTEOPOROSIS AND SARCOPENIA

Osteosarcopenia is a newly formed term that combines the symptoms of osteoporosis and sarcopenia together because of their concurrent appearances in life. They are both age-related, debilitating conditions that affect older adults’ skeleton and musculoskeletal system. Osteoporosis specifically targets the cells of the bone and make them weak and porous. Sarcopenia attacks the skeletal muscles and deteriorates the muscle fibers, decreasing mass and strength. Both diseases put sedentary elders at high risk of sustaining fractures and proneness to fall. The manifestation of one condition typically leads to the other because of their obvious physical attachments as well as their direct chemical crosstalk. The onset of osteosarcopenia is subtle coinciding with age related processes that become greatly exacerbated and accelerated when coupled with chronic inactivity. Thus, a critical intervention for managing the disability associated with osteosarcopenia is physical activity. While some pharmacological treatments or supplements are known to have positive results in stemming further bone loss, regular participation in moderate-intensity exercises is considered the most effective treatment for attenuating further bone and muscle loss.