Research
Adherence
Short-term periods of physical inactivity (disuse) accelerate muscle atrophy and strength loss in older adults, mimicking years of natural aging.
Avoid prolonged periods of inactivity, such as bedrest or hospitalization, as they cause rapid muscle loss in older adults that is difficult to reverse. Maintain daily movement even during minor illnesses or injuries.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
To make matters even worse, older individuals who were immobilized for two weeks not only experienced a reduction in muscle mass but also a decline in muscle strength that was the equivalent of ~2–3 years of normal aging (Rommersbach et al., 2020).
Why this rating
Supported by specific immobilization studies cited in the review.
Source
From molecular to physical function: The aging trajectory
Tom Janssen et al. · Current Research in Physiology · 2024
DOI 10.1016/j.crphys.2024.100138
narrative_reviewCited 15×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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