Muscle disorder Tips

Sarcopenia refers to the loss of muscle mass caused by the natural process of ageing. Over time, the loss of muscle mass may reduce a person’s strength and affect his or her balance and the ability to walk. Sarcopenia can make it difficult for one to carry on with their routine activities, such as walking, lifting objects, or climbing stairs.

The reduction in muscle mass involves both a decrease in their size and the loss of muscle fibres. Sarcopenia becomes noticeable by age 40 – and the loss of muscle tissues progress more rapidly by the time you reach the 60s or 70s. Doctors believe that certain hormonal changes due to ageing are the main reason for this condition. 

Apart from that, poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle also contribute to muscle loss. Health experts and doctors suggest that following a proper, nutritious diet can help treat or delay sarcopenia.

Diet recommended for sarcopenia patients 

If you are diagnosed with sarcopenia, your dietician or healthcare provider will likely recommend a diet that has an abundance of proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins to prevent further muscle loss and boost their growth.

Here is a close look at the nutrients –

• Proteins

The protein in your diet signals the muscle tissues to strengthen and build. As your muscles become more resistant to this signal with age, it is important that you consume more protein to increase muscle growth. A study found that people over age 70, who consumed a wholesome meal containing 35gms of protein, saw significant growth in the muscle mass. Leucine, an amino acid, is especially essential for regulating muscle growth. Some of the best sources of leucine include meat, eggs, fish, soy, and whey protein. 

Research has shown that the optimal intake of dietary protein should be somewhere between 0.6-0.9g/pound/d of protein in older adults with chronic or acute diseases. Besides eating more protein with meals, health experts recommend adding other protein-rich foods to their daily diet, including peanuts, almonds, edamame, and chickpeas. 

• Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for maintaining and building healthy bones. This is because the main component responsible for bone health, calcium can be absorbed only when your body has sufficient vitamin D. Milk, soymilk, cheese and other dairy products, egg yolks, and fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel are some of the foods offering sufficient amounts of vital vitamin D. While natural food sources are the best way to get your daily dose of vitamin D, you can also opt for supplements to increase muscle endurance and lower the risk of falling. However, be sure to discuss with your doctor before taking vitamin supplements. 

• Omega-3 fatty acids

Fish oil extracted from fatty fish contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, fish oil is known to boost muscle sensitivity to resistance training and protein, allowing for growth in strength, size, and muscle mass as you age. A study conducted over 16 weeks revealed taking omega-3 supplements regularly witnessed a significant increase in muscle growth. 

Sarcopenia becomes more apparent with age and may affect your quality of life. Eating high-quality protein and enough calories can delay the rate of muscle loss. Consult a dietician and ask for a diet plan comprising these nutrients to improve muscle strength and deter sarcopenia.

Movement disorders can trigger from various types of brain injuries, metabolic disturbances, inflammation, trauma, side effects of medication, genetic disorders, infections etc. The brain structures that get affected are believed to include the thalamus, brainstem, basal ganglia, cortex etc. Since all these structures function together, any abnormalities in any of the structures can compromise movement. For instance, a kid suffering from primary dystonia can lead a near normal life, if the condition is detected and treated early in life. However, on the other hand, if the same condition goes undetected it can cripple the child for the rest of his life. 

Different types of moment disorder-

1. Chorea: It results from a neurological injury. The movement of children suffering from this condition becomes irregular and dance-like. The child often becomes slow or more forceful in their movement. If the condition affects the legs, a kid can frequently stumble and face difficulty while walking. Sydenham chorea is a condition that is not very severe and is reversible with treatment. 
2. Tremor: It is a condition that is characterized by trembling or shaky movements. This often results from an underlying and undetected condition that may be genetic in nature or a side effect of other medications. A kid suffering from this condition faces difficulty in fine-tuning movements. Tremor may run in family e.g. essential tremors. 
3. Myoclonus: It a disorder that involves quick involuntary muscle jerks that a child fails to resist. The jerks can be frequent or occasional, there may or may not be a pattern involved to it. This condition has no long-term complication on a child’s health, but it is necessary to evaluate the type of myoclonus a child is suffering from and must be differentiated from myoclonic seizure. 
4. Dystonia: It causes the muscle groups to contract abnormally, due to faulty signals of the brain. Instead of a coordinated contraction of muscles, they can contract in opposition causing the push and the pull muscles to work together. This can cause uncomfortable and painful twisting of limbs. 
5. Tourette syndrome: It is involuntary in nature, where sudden sounds or movements that appear, vanishes over a prolonged time period. This condition is the advanced form of muscle tics. They can involve any part of the body and greatly varies in severity. Children can successfully suppress tics but over time they build a sense of wrongness while resisting it. Most tic disorders are reversible with the right treatment. 
6. Ataxia: It results from a failure of motor coordination of the cerebellum, due to an injury or dysfunction. This condition can have various patterns involved in it. While few types of ataxia can come and go due to a condition such as metabolic disorder, epilepsy, genetic mutation etc, some begin abruptly due to brain bleed or stroke.

With urbanized lifestyle and modern comforts comes the baggage of stressful living and it always leads to an unfit future! An unfit body often leads to an unproductive day with a bunch of complicated disorders and it’s a nightmare for most youths that is becoming a reality. One such phenomenon that is affecting youngsters is an increasing number of cases in muscle and joint pain! The rate of these disorders in skeletal muscle pain cases being reported is alarming and studies suggest that it affects every seven out of ten youth. 

What Is A Joint and Muscle Pain?

A joint or muscle pain is mostly felt when there is a stiffness in the concerned area with friction. It may also occur due to a deficiency of Vit. D and Calcium. Though widely reported in advanced age groups, it is now often widely reported in youngsters, particularly in their early twenties and thirties. Here is a brief insight into its causes and precautionary measures!

1. Lack Of Exercise

With a packed schedule and relatively lesser time for ourselves, we tend to let go of self-care and often fall prey to an unhealthy lifestyle. Procrastination, overly packed schedules and so much on the to-do list seldom allows us to keep up with our exercise routine. Consequently, our body loses the natural flexibility leading to immense pain with even a minute lift.

2. Longer Duration Of Desk Jobs!

One major cause of muscle pain amongst youngsters is a longer duration desk job spanning for more than nine hours a day. This not only hampers the physical ability of a human body but also reduces the physical stamina drastically. Little to no movement for long hours in a day can lead to unwanted stiffness and hence, muscle and joint pain.

3. Consumption Of Junk Food Instead Of A Balanced Diet

An urbanized lifestyle has to lead us to be the slaves of fast food and not a balanced diet that is recommended for a healthy living. A fast-food item increases the chances of unwanted obesity leading to constricted movements and complications in health status while the lack of a balanced diet deprives the body of essential nutrients and leads to the deficiency of various elements needed for the proper functioning of our body! 

Myofascial pain syndrome or MPS refers to the soft tissue and muscle pain that is often accompanied by inflammation. This chronic condition affects the fascia, which is the connective tissue covering the muscles. MPS is also called referred pain.

Symptoms of Myofascial Pain Syndrome

The symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome are all related to pain:

• Excruciating pain in the muscles

• Persistent pain that worsens occasionally

• Knotty muscles

• Sleep disturbances due to the pain

• Difficulty at work or any performance due to the pain

The pain usually originates at a point and spreads to the entire muscle group and surrounding muscle groups, depending on the intensity of the pain. Allowing the pain to stay without treatment might worsen symptoms.

The symptoms give way to sleep disorders and sometimes, Fibromyalgia, that will worsen the symptoms.

Causes of Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Myofascial pain usually occurs due to some kind of injury. It can be strenuous exercise or sports routine, or an injury from an accident. A tendon, ligament, or muscle group injured earlier can develop symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome. Other specific causes include:

• General fatigue

• Stomach irritation

• Heart attack is a risk factor

• Repetitive Motions

• Lack of movement of a certain body part

• Intervertebral disk injury

• Stress and anxiety are the causes that don’t even need a preexisting physical injury to cause referred pain. But if MPS already exists, stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues can worsen the symptoms.

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask questions about the injury (if any), the mental health condition, the lifestyle or work routine, and about the symptoms and triggers. The doctor will apply pressure on the pain regions to determine the type of pain. It can be any of the following:

• Active trigger point

• Dormant trigger point

• Secondary trigger point

• Satellite myofascial point

Treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Treatment of MPS involves a combination of medication, injections at the trigger points, and physical therapy. The doctor will decide which of the three treatment pathways, or which combination is best fitted for the case.

• Medication: Usually there are three types of medication for referred pain. One is pain relievers containing Ibuprofen or Naproxen Sodium. Some need to be orally consumed and some need to be applied on the skin at the trigger point. The second option for medication includes antidepressants which might be helpful if the pain is chronic and worsens with depression. The third option is sedatives like Clonazepam that helps with stress and insomnia to alleviate the pain symptoms.

• Therapy: A certified physical therapist will know suitable stretching/massage/posture training exercises to alleviate the symptoms over time. Heat and ultrasound can also be used in therapy to increase blood circulation and promote muscle healing.

• Needle procedures: Trigger point steroid injection and acupuncture can help alleviate symptoms of MPS.

The symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome take time to reduce. With continued treatment, moderate exercise, some caution to avoid further injuries, and maintenance of healthy posture at all times, even chronic pain can be cured.

It is always advisable to consult a doctor as soon as a person notices any symptoms.

जॉइंट्स की सूजन जो गंभीर होने पर गठिया का रूप ले लेती है. इसके कारणों में से एक कमज़ोर प्रतिरक्षा प्रणाली का होना है. आयुर्वेद के अनुसार, मानव शरीर तीन बिंदुओं पर काम करता है, जिसमें वात, पित्त और कफ शामिल है. वही बात करें गठिया रोग की, तो इसे मुख्यतः मानव शरीर में वात दोष के कारण माना जाता है. गठिया को इसके मूल कारणों और वात दोष के आधार पर एंटी-इंफ्लेमेटरी दवाएं या पेन किलर्स आपके गुर्दे, पेट, लिवर और हृदय पर गंभीर दुष्प्रभाव छोड़ सकती हैं. वहीं आयुर्वेद दवाएं काफी सुरक्षित हैं और वह रोग के मूल कारणों को कम करके रोग का इलाज करती है.

अमा जिसे ख़राब पाचन के कारण पैदा हुए विषाक्त पदार्थ के रूप में भी जाना जाता है. यह पूरे शरीर में फैलकर कमजोर जोड़ों पर जमा होती है. इसके बाद वात तीव्र हो जाता है. जिसके कारण जॉइंट्स की सूजन आदि समस्या देखने को मिलती है. जो आखिर में गठिया या आमवात में परिवर्तित हो जाती है.

अगर डॉक्टर की भाषा में बात करें तो इस रोग को अर्थराइटिस भी कहा जाता है. इसे कुछ फूड्स का नियमित सेवन करके दर्द में आराम मिल सकता है. हालांकि, यह बीमारी ज्यादातर वृद्ध लोगों में देखने को मिलती है. लेकिन बदलती हुई लाइफस्‍टाइल के कारण इस रोग को युवाओं में भी देखा जा सकता हैं. आइए इस लेख के माध्यम से हम गठिया रोग के लक्षणों के बारे में जानें -

1. जोड़ों में दर्द
अर्थराइटिस जिसे आम भाषा में संधिशोथ भी कहा जाता है. जोड़ों में दर्द, जकड़न और सूजन को इसके सबसे प्रमुख लक्षणों में देखा जाता हैं. इसके अलावा बहुत से मामलों में देखने को मिलता है कि गठिया के दौरान रोगियों के प्रभावित अंग लाल पड़ जाते हैं. साथ ही इस रोग के दौरान मरीज़ की चलने की गति भी कम हो जाती है. कुछ लोगों में गठिया के लक्षण सुबह के समय ज्यादा प्रभावी होते हैं.

2. जोड़ों में सूजन का अनुभव
आप घुटने, कूल्हे, कंधे, हाथ या पूरे शरीर के किसी भी जोड़ में गठिया दर्द का अनुभव कर सकते हैं. रुमेटॉइड गठिया में आपको थकान हो सकती है. साथ ही बहुत से मामलों में देखा जाता है कि प्रतिरक्षा प्रणाली की गतिविधि धीमी पड़ने के कारण सूजन होने के अलावा भूख में कमी महसूस भी कर सकते हैं.

3. एनीमिया
इससे प्रबावित बहुत से रोगियों में एनीमिया के मामले भी देखे जाते है - जिसमें शरीर में खून की मात्रा कम हो जाती है. साथ ही कभी-कभी गठिया के तीव्र आक्रमण से रोगी को बुखार आदि भी देखने को मिलता है.

4. रुमेटी
गंभीर रुमेटॉइड गठिया का अगर सही समय रहते इलाज न किया जाए, तो यह जॉइंट्स के खराब होने का कारण बन सकता है.

5. हाथ-पैर में गाँठें
गठिया रोग में हाथों-पैरो में गांठे बन जाती है और इलाज में देर होने से यह गंभीर रूप ले सकती है जिससे बालों में कंघी करना, सीढियों पर चढ़ना यहां तक की चलना भी मुश्किल हो जाता है.
 

Orthopedic disorders include all the issues and ailments that are related to the muscles, joints and ligaments. Orthopedic disorders are so widespread and so large in number that it is very difficult to list all of them down.

However, among them the four most common orthopedic disorders are:

1. Arthritis

It is a chronic and a long lasting orthopedic disorder in which you witness the swelling or inflammation of one or more joints in the body. This condition is very painful in nature and it tends to deteriorate gradually. This condition usually affects elderly people and it also worsens with age which ultimately causes stiffness of the joints and limits your routine body movements.

2. Osteoarthritis

This is a degenerative joint disorder which leads to immense levels of pain and discomfort in the joints of the body. This is one of the most serious forms of orthopedic diseases that have been noticed. This disease involve degradation and decline in the overall quality of the bones and joints in the affected areas.

3. Lower back pain

This condition refers to periods of pain and discomfort in the lower part of your spinal area. This condition is very common nowadays and as a result of this pain your back usually becomes tender, swollen and stiff. This pain also stops you from doing your overall routine activities.

4. Rheumatoid arthritis

It is an orthopedic disorder in which there is severe amounts of swelling of a particular joint accompanied by small lumps on the affected area that further degrade the external appearance of the skin of the area. In case of adults, this disorder lasts for a lifetime and worsens with time, if left untreated.

Orthopedic disorders include all the health issues and ailments that are related to the muscles, joints and ligaments. Orthopedic disorders are so widespread and so large in number that it is very difficult to list all of them down. However, among them the four most common orthopedic disorders are:

1. Arthritis: It is a chronic and a long lasting orthopedic disorder in which you witness the swelling or inflammation of one or more joints in the body. This condition is very painful in nature and it tends to deteriorate gradually. This condition usually affects elderly people and it also worsens with age which ultimately causes stiffness of the joints and limits your routine body movements.
2. Osteoarthritis: This is a degenerative joint disorder which leads to immense pain and discomfort in the joints of the body. This is one of the most serious forms of orthopedic disease that has been noticed. This disease involves degradation and decline in the overall quality of the bones and joints in the affected areas.
3. Lower back pain: This condition refers to periods of pain and discomfort in the lower part of your spinal area. This condition is very common nowadays and as a result of this pain, your back usually becomes tender, swollen and stiff. This pain also stops you from doing your overall routine activities.
4. Rheumatoid arthritis: It is an orthopedic disorder in which there is severe swelling in a particular joint, accompanied by small lumps on the affected area that further degrade the external appearance of the skin. In case of adults, this disorder lasts for a lifetime and worsens with time, if left untreated.

After every hour, take mini-breaks from your work desk and do some stretches to loosen your shoulder and neck muscles and shift position.

Muscle contusion is a condition that is characterized by bruising in the muscles. It generally tends to occur in athletes who play a lot of contact sports. Repetitive blows in any part of the body may cause damage to the underlying muscle tissues. These blows may lead to internal bleeding, resulting in blood clot formation. The most common site where it occurs are the quadriceps.

The various causes of this condition are:

1. Direct repetitive blows to a part of the muscle in contact sports such as football
2. If you fall on a hard surface 
3. It may also occur if the muscle comes in contact real hard with sports equipment like soccer balls

The symptoms of a muscle contusion are:

1. You may experience swelling of the muscle
2. Excessive pain
3. Decrease in range of motion in the concerned body part
4. It may lead to leaking of blood vessels
5. You may also experience hematoma where a lump is formed over the affected spot
6. Symptoms of broken bones, dislocations and fractures may also occur

Complications: This disorder may also lead to various complications such as compartment syndrome, which leads to compression of blood vessels resulting in pain. 

Treatment: The basic treatment for this condition is the RICE protocol which is rest, ice, compression and elevation. You should rest the muscle, then apply ice to the affected area to reduce the pain. You can also take NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to reduce the pain. In severe cases, the doctor may drain the lump surgically.

It is advisable to not return to your normal sports routine in order to allow the muscle to recover. If you carry on with your regular routine, it may result in further complications like the formation of scar tissue. You may undergo various stretching exercises to relieve the pain and make a gradual return to your normal sporting activities.

What is sarcopenia?

It’s the loss of muscle mass, strength & function as one ages. Though everyone is at risk of sarcopenia, it’s most commonly seen in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. Other factors that may contribute to this condition: 

1. Hormonal change with age
2. Change in protein requirements with age 

How does it affect routine life?

1. Impairment of daily functioning as muscle mass & strength are required for effective functioning of body 
2. Disables the aged people 

Who is at risk? 

1. Age more than 40 years 
2. Sedentary lifestyle 
3. Low protein intake 

How to prevent? 

1. Proper nutrition: Adequate nutrition is essential to prevent loss of muscle mass with age.Older adults may need more protein per Kg body weight to retain the muscle mass. They may require 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg of body weight per day to maintain the optimal level. 
2. Exercise: Resistance training is extremely effective for improving muscle mass and strength.Incorporating this fitness regimen in everyday activity helps in reducing the risk and also in prevention of sarcopenia. 
3. Supplements: Appropriate supplements can be given if required. For example, maintaining optimal vitamin D level using supplements aids in muscle strength and physical performance.

How to manage life with sarcopenia? 

1. Nutritious diet 
2. Increase physical activity 
3. Appropriate steps to avoid falls and fracture

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!