Muscle atrophy, the gradual breakdown of muscle tissue
Muscle atrophy refers to the process by which the functional muscle mass — and therefore muscle strength — continuously declines. Today there are two causes of muscle atrophy: lack of movement (a much more common cause) and a disease affecting the muscle (rare). Lack of movement – the main cause of muscle atrophy I write about this in detail here: The effects of lack of movement on your body. I will summarize briefly. The […]
Muscle atrophy refers to the process by which the functional muscle mass — and therefore muscle strength — continuously declines. Today there are two causes of muscle atrophy: lack of movement (a much more common cause) and a disease affecting the muscle (rare).
Physical inactivity – the main cause of muscle atrophy
I write about this in detail here: The effects of lack of movement on your body. I will summarize briefly.
Physical activity is vital for muscles. Movement causes muscles to work and contract. The more you "use" your muscles, the stronger and thicker they become.
The body adapts by increasing muscle strength and muscle mass to meet the continuous physical demands you place on it.
The tragedy of our times is a comfortable lifestyle. You sit all day — on the bus, in the car, at work, and then for hours in front of the TV. Your muscles move for minimal time and with almost no load.
Your body senses that you are not using the muscle, that is, "you don't need it." What is not needed is not maintained by the body with unnecessary effort. It simply breaks down large muscles.
The consequence is natural muscle wasting.
The weaker the muscles become, the harder it is to move. That is why the decline accelerates.
Another common cause of muscle wasting is a prolonged illness that leaves you unable to move for an extended period. For example, just two weeks of bed rest can reduce muscle circumference by measurable centimeters. The muscles of a leg in a cast thin significantly compared to the other side (by the time the cast is removed).
Regular physical activity is essential!
You don't need to think of Olympic-level training! Daily walks, cycling, yoga, exercise, tai chi, or 1–2 hours of gardening already make a big difference. The more movement, the more the muscles "like" it.
Article recommendation: The tale of the peasant and his horses
Without movement, your body gradually breaks down. Muscles weaken, joints wear, and bone structure deteriorates. However, the process is reversible! Start moving today and never stop!
Muscle atrophy as a disease
Fortunately, disease-related muscle atrophy is rare: on average about 10 people in 100,000 suffer from such a disease.
The underlying cause is usually a genetically determined enzyme or metabolic disorder; there are hereditary forms as well as spontaneously occurring types.
It is important to know that inactivity (lack of movement) can produce symptoms similar to muscle atrophy. If your muscles are not moved for a prolonged period, they begin to waste away — for example immobilization after a bone fracture or surgery can cause this, which is why physiotherapy is so important in these cases.
Some diseases that primarily attack nerves rather than muscles can also lead to muscle wasting — for example stroke, which affects the motor area of the nervous system and can therefore cause muscle atrophy.
If you notice that your muscles are thinning and becoming weak for no clear reason, see a doctor as soon as possible. You can start with your general practitioner or head straight to a neurologist.
Types of muscle atrophy
The most common childhood form is Duchenne syndrome, while a somewhat less severe childhood form is Becker muscular dystrophy. The most common degenerative muscle disease in adults is myotonic dystrophy.
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy affects only boys because it is always inherited in an X-linked manner (girls can only be carriers as their second X chromosome usually compensates). The disease involves a defect related to a protein called dystrophin that impairs ion flow within the cell, ultimately destroying muscle cells. Muscle cells break down and are replaced by tissues that cannot perform muscle work. Duchenne syndrome is extremely severe: patients often cannot walk by around age 13, and because the disease also attacks respiratory and cardiac muscles, they typically do not reach adulthood.
- In the less common Becker muscular dystrophy, the mutation is milder and the disease progresses more slowly; symptoms typically appear between ages 6 and 19.
- Adult-onset muscle wasting usually follows a milder course. Myotonic dystrophy affects both men and women and can appear at any age. It is associated with weakness and muscle stiffness, and its causes may involve various metabolic disorders — often enzyme defects in carbohydrate and fat metabolism are responsible.
- Secondary muscle weakness refers to wasting caused indirectly by another disease. Examples include excess growth hormone, thyroid disease, metabolic disorders, or liver disease.
- Autoimmune muscle disease occurs when the body recognizes the muscle as foreign and produces antibodies against it.
Possible treatments for muscle atrophy
Medicine knows a lot about the process of muscle atrophy, but the fundamental cause is still unknown, so there is no specific drug that cures the disease yet; however, delaying progression, relieving symptoms and improving quality of life are possible.
In childhood muscular dystrophy, steroid treatment can somewhat slow the processes; a real solution is hoped for in the future from stem cell therapy (hopefully).
Never stop moving!
Physiotherapy plays a vital role in treating muscle atrophy. Regular movement helps prolong the lifespan of the remaining healthy fibers. To perform the right exercises, consult a physiotherapist, movement therapist, or medical fitness trainer.
Devices that can help
Product recommendation
Devices to slow down or reverse muscle atrophy and to support the recovery of muscle strength.
Rehabilitation tools and medical devices complement and enhance the effectiveness of exercise. Attention! These devices are not intended to replace physiotherapy (except in very severe cases); they are complementary solutions.
Ultrasound
Before exercise, it is worth “preparing” wasted and stiff muscles with ultrasound treatment. The ultrasound waves relax and warm muscles and ligaments, making physiotherapy easier.
Muscle stimulator
Muscle stimulator devices deliver mild, painless electrical impulses to the skin that trigger muscle contractions. A 30–40 minute treatment can increase muscle strength in a way similar to exercise. This method is suitable for preventing, reversing or at least slowing down muscle atrophy.
Click here to find a workout plan that can help maintain muscle strength.
Muscle stimulation treatment is very effective at preventing the loss of muscle mass and strength. Of course, a single stimulation has no meaningful effect, just as a single workout cannot increase muscle strength. With regular (once or twice daily) application, significant improvement can be achieved in 2–3 months.
Simple muscle stimulators for mild complaints and small-area treatment are available from 20,000 HUF. The best-performing devices cost around 100,000–150,000 HUF.
