The causes of muscle weakness are many and there are a wide range of conditions that can cause muscle weakness. These can be both well-known diseases and rather rare conditions. Muscle weakness can be reversible and persistent. However, in most cases it is possible to treat muscle weakness with exercise, physiotherapy, acupuncture.
Muscle weakness is a fairly common complaint, but weakness has a wide range of meanings, including fatigue, decreased muscle strength, and the inability of the muscles to work at all. There is an even wider range of possible causes.
The term muscle weakness can be used to describe several different conditions.
Primary or true muscle weakness
This muscle weakness manifests itself as an inability to perform the movement that a person wants to perform with the help of muscles the first time. There is an objective decrease in muscle strength and strength does not increase regardless of effort. That is, the muscle does not work properly - this is abnormal.
When this type of muscle weakness occurs, the muscles appear to have fallen asleep, smaller in volume. This can happen, for example, after a stroke. The same visual picture occurs with muscular dystrophy. Both conditions lead to weakening of the muscles that cannot perform the usual load. And this is a real change in muscle strength.
Muscle fatigue
Fatigue is sometimes referred to as asthenia. This is the feeling of tiredness or exhaustion that a person feels when the muscles are used. The muscles don't really get weaker, they can still do their job, but doing muscle work takes a lot of effort. This type of muscle weakness is often seen in people with chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disorders, depression, and chronic heart, lung, and kidney disease. This may be due to a decrease in the rate at which the muscles can receive the required amount of energy.
muscle fatigue
In some cases, muscle fatigue mainly has increased fatigue - the muscle starts to work, but quickly gets tired and takes more time to restore function. Fatigue is often associated with muscle fatigue, but this is most noticeable in rare conditions such as myasthenia gravis and myotonic dystrophy.
The difference between these three types of muscle weakness is often not obvious, and a patient may have more than one type of weakness at once. Also, one kind of weakness can alternate with another kind of weakness. But with a careful approach to diagnosis, the doctor manages to determine the main type of muscle weakness, since certain diseases are characterized by one or another type of muscle weakness.
Main causes of muscle weakness
Lack of adequate physical activity - inactive (sedentary) way of life.
Lack of muscle loading is one of the most common causes of muscle weakness. If the muscles are not used, then the muscle fibers in the muscles are partly replaced by fat. And over time, the muscles weaken: the muscles become less dense and more flabby. And although muscle fibers do not lose their strength, but their number decreases, and they are not reduced as effectively. And the person feels that they have become smaller in volume. When you try to perform certain movements, fatigue sets in faster. The condition is reversible with reasonable regular exercise. But as we age, this condition becomes more pronounced.
The maximum muscle strength and a short period of recovery after exercise is observed at the age of 20-30 years. That is why most great athletes achieve high results at this age. However, strengthening muscles through regular exercise can be done at any age. Many successful distance runners have been in their 40s. Muscle tolerance during a long activity, such as a marathon, remains high for longer than during a powerful, short burst of activity, such as a sprint.
It is always good when a person has sufficient physical activity at any age. However, recovery from muscle and tendon injuries is slower with age. At whatever age a person decides to improve their physical fitness, a reasonable training regimen is important. And it is better to coordinate training with a specialist (instructor or exercise therapy doctor).
Aging
As we age, muscles lose strength and mass, and they become weaker. While most people accept this as a natural consequence of age - especially if the age is decent, nevertheless, the inability to do what was possible in more young age often brings discomfort. Nevertheless, physical exercise is in any case useful in old age and safe workouts allow you to increase muscle strength. But the recovery time after an injury is much longer in old age, as involutional changes in metabolism occur and bone fragility increases.
infections
Infections and diseases are among the most common causes of temporary muscle fatigue. This occurs due to inflammatory processes in the muscles. And sometimes, even if the infectious disease has regressed, the restoration of muscle strength can take a long period of time. Sometimes this can cause chronic fatigue syndrome. Any disease with fever and inflammation of the muscles can be a trigger for chronic fatigue syndrome. However, some diseases are more likely to cause this syndrome. These include the flu, Epstein-Barr virus, HIV, Lyme disease, and hepatitis C. Other less common causes are tuberculosis, malaria, syphilis, polio, and dengue fever.
Pregnancy
During and immediately after pregnancy, high levels of steroids in the blood, combined with iron deficiency, can cause a feeling of muscle fatigue. This is a completely normal muscle reaction to pregnancy, however, certain gymnastics can and should be carried out, but significant physical exertion should be excluded. In addition, in pregnant women, due to a violation of biomechanics, low back pain often occurs.
chronic diseases
Many chronic diseases cause muscle weakness. In some cases, this is due to a reduction in the flow of blood and nutrients to the muscles.
Peripheral vascular disease is caused by narrowing of the arteries, usually due to cholesterol deposits and triggered by poor diet and smoking. The supply of blood to the muscles is reduced, and this becomes especially noticeable during exercise, when the blood flow cannot cope with the needs of the muscles. Pain is often more characteristic of peripheral vascular disease than muscle weakness.
Diabetes - this disease can lead to muscle weakness and loss physical form. High level blood sugar puts the muscles at a disadvantage, their functioning is impaired. In addition, as diabetes progresses, there is a disturbance in the structure of the peripheral nerves (polyneuropathy), which in turn impairs the normal innervation of the muscles and leads to muscle weakness. In addition to the nerves, diabetes causes damage to the arteries, which also leads to poor blood supply to the muscles and weakness. Heart disease, especially heart failure, can lead to impaired blood supply to the muscles due to a decrease in myocardial contractility and actively working muscles do not receive enough blood (oxygen and nutrients) at the peak of the load and this can lead to rapid muscle fatigue.
Chronic lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lead to a decrease in the body's ability to consume oxygen. Muscles require a fast supply of oxygen from the blood, especially during exercise. Decreased oxygen consumption leads to muscle fatigue. Over time, chronic lung disease can lead to muscle atrophy, although this mostly happens in advanced cases when blood oxygen levels begin to drop.
Chronic kidney disease can lead to an imbalance of minerals and salts in the body, and it is also possible to affect the level of calcium and vitamin D. Kidney diseases also cause the accumulation of toxic substances (toxins) in the blood, since a violation of the excretory function of the kidneys reduces their excretion from the body. These changes can lead to both true muscle weakness and muscle fatigue.
Anemia - it is a lack of red blood cells. There are many causes of anemia, including poor nutrition, blood loss, pregnancy, genetic diseases, infections, and cancer. This reduces the ability of the blood to carry oxygen to the muscles in order for the muscles to contract fully. Anemia often develops rather slowly, so that by the time of diagnosis, muscle weakness and shortness of breath are already noted.
Diseases of the central nervous system
Anxiety: General fatigue can be caused by anxiety. This is due to the increased activity of the adrenaline system in the body.
Depression: General fatigue can also be caused by depression.
Anxiety and depression are conditions that tend to cause a feeling of tiredness and "fatigue" rather than true weakness.
chronic pain - the overall effect on energy levels can lead to muscle weakness. As with anxiety, chronic pain stimulates the release of chemicals (hormones) in the body that respond to pain and injury. These chemicals lead to feelings of tiredness or fatigue. With chronic pain, muscle weakness can also occur, as the muscles cannot be used due to pain and discomfort.
Muscle damage in trauma
There are many factors that lead to direct muscle damage. The most obvious are wounds or injuries such as sports injuries, sprains and dislocations. Performing exercises without "warming up" and stretching the muscles is a common cause of muscle damage. With any muscle injury, bleeding occurs from the damaged muscle fibers inside the muscle, followed by swelling and inflammation. This makes the muscles less strong and also painful when performing movements. The main symptom is localized pain, but later on weakness may appear.
Medicines
Many medications can cause muscle weakness and muscle damage as a side effect or allergic reaction. It usually starts out as fatigue. But damage can progress if medication is not stopped. The most commonly reported medications are statins, certain antibiotics (including ciprofloxacin and penicillin), and anti-inflammatory pain medications (such as naproxen and diclofenac).
Long-term use of oral steroids also causes muscle weakness and atrophy. This is an expected side effect of steroids with long-term use and therefore doctors try to reduce the duration of steroid use. Less commonly used medications that can cause muscle weakness and muscle damage include:
- Certain cardiac drugs (eg amiodarone).
- Preparations for chemotherapy.
- HIV drugs.
- Interferons.
- Medicines used to treat an overactive thyroid.
Other substances.
Long-term alcohol use can lead to weakness of the shoulder and hip muscles.
Smoking can indirectly weaken muscles. Smoking causes narrowing of the arteries, which leads to peripheral vascular disease.
Cocaine abuse causes marked muscle weakness, just like other drugs.
Sleep disorders
Problems that disrupt or reduce sleep duration lead to muscle fatigue, muscle fatigue. These disorders can include: insomnia, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, restless leg syndrome, shift work, and having young children who stay up at night.
Other causes of muscle weakness
chronic fatigue syndrome
This condition is sometimes associated with certain viral infections, such as the Epstein-Barr virus and influenza, but the genesis of this condition is not fully understood. Muscles are not inflamed, but get tired very quickly. Patients often feel the need for great effort to perform muscle activity which they previously performed easily.
In chronic fatigue syndrome, the muscles are not collapsed and may have normal strength when tested. This is reassuring, as it means that the chances of recovery and full functional recovery are very high. CFS also causes psychological fatigue when performing intellectual activities, such as long reading and communication also becomes tiring. Patients often show signs of depression and sleep disturbances.
fibromyalgia
This disease resembles the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. However, in fibromyalgia, the muscles become tender to the touch and tire very quickly. Muscles in fibromyalgia do not collapse and remain strong on formal muscle testing. Patients tend to complain more of pain than fatigue or weakness.
Thyroid dysfunction(hypothyroidism)
In this condition, the lack of thyroid hormones leads to general fatigue. And if hypothyroidism is not treated, then muscle degeneration and hypotrophy may develop over time. Such changes can be serious and in some cases irreversible. Hypothyroidism is a common disease, but, as a rule, with timely selection of treatment, muscle problems can be avoided.
Lack of fluid in the body (dehydration) and electrolyte imbalance.
Problems with the normal balance of salts in the body, including as a result of dehydration, can cause muscle fatigue. Muscle problems can only be very serious in extreme cases, such as dehydration during a marathon. Muscles work worse when there is an imbalance of electrolytes in the blood.
Diseases associated with muscle inflammation
Inflammatory muscle diseases tend to develop in the elderly and include both polymyalgia, as well as polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Some of these conditions are well corrected by taking steroids (which must be taken for many months before there is a curative effect). Unfortunately, the steroids themselves can, with long-term use, also cause loss muscle mass and weakness.
Systemic inflammatory diseases such as SLE and rheumatoid arthritis often cause muscle weakness. In a small percentage of rheumatoid arthritis cases, muscle weakness and fatigue may be the only symptoms of the disease for a significant amount of time.
Oncological diseases
Cancer and other cancers can cause direct muscle damage, but cancer in any part of the body can also cause generalized muscle fatigue. In the advanced stages of cancer, body weight loss also leads to true muscle weakness. Muscle weakness is usually not the first sign of cancer and occurs more often in the later stages of cancer.
Neurological conditions leading to muscle damage.
Diseases that affect the nerves usually result in true muscle weakness. This is because if the nerve of the muscle fiber stops working properly, the muscle fiber cannot contract and, as a result of the lack of movement, the muscle will atrophy. Neurological diseases: Muscle weakness can be caused by cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke and cerebral hemorrhages or spinal cord injuries. Muscles that become partially or completely paralyzed lose their normal strength and eventually atrophy. In some cases, muscle changes are significant and recovery is very slow or function cannot be restored.
Diseases of the spine: when the nerves are damaged (compressed at the exit of the spine by a hernia, protrusion or osteophyte), muscle weakness can occur. When a nerve is compressed, conduction disturbances and motor disturbances occur in the zone of nerve root innervation, and muscle weakness develops only in the muscles innervated by certain nerves that have undergone compression
Other nervous diseases:
Multiple sclerosis is caused by damage to nerves in the brain and spinal cord and can lead to sudden paralysis. With multiple sclerosis, partial restoration of functions is possible with adequate treatment.
Guillain-Barré syndrome is a post-viral nerve injury resulting in paralysis and muscle weakness or loss. muscle function from fingers to toes. This condition can last for many months, although there is usually a full recovery of function.
Parkinson's disease: This is a progressive disease of the central nervous system, both the motor sphere and the intellectual and emotional sphere. It mainly affects people over the age of 60 and in addition to muscle weakness, Parkinson's patients experience tremors and muscle stiffness. They often have difficulty starting and stopping movement, and are often depressed.
Rare causes of muscle weakness
Genetic Diseases Affecting Muscles
Muscular dystrophies- hereditary diseases in which muscles suffer are quite rare. The most famous such disease is Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This disease occurs in children and leads to a gradual loss of muscle strength.
Some rare muscular dystrophies may debut in adulthood, including Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome, and Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy syndrome. They also cause a gradual loss of muscle strength and often these conditions can lead to disability and wheelchair confinement.
Sarcoidosis - is a rare disease that causes collections of cells (granulomas) in the skin, lungs, and soft tissues, including muscles. The condition may heal on its own after a few years.
Amyloidosis - also a rare disease in which there is an accumulation (deposits) of an abnormal protein (amyloid) throughout the body, including in the muscles and kidneys.
Other rare causes: Direct muscle damage can occur in rare hereditary metabolic diseases. Examples include: glycogen storage diseases and, even more rarely, mitochondrial diseases, which occur when the energy systems within muscle cells do not work properly.
Myotonic dystrophy - is a rare genetic muscle disease in which the muscles tire quickly. Myotonic dystrophy is passed on from generation to generation, and, as a rule, with each subsequent generation, the manifestations of the disease become more pronounced.
motor neuron disease is a progressive nerve disease that affects all parts of the body. Most forms of motor neuron disease begin in the distal extremities and gradually involve all the muscles of the body. The disease progresses over months or years, and patients rapidly develop severe muscle weakness and muscle atrophy.
Motor neuron disease is most commonly seen in men over 50, but there have been many notable exceptions to this rule, including famous astrophysicist Stephen Hawking. There are many different forms of motor neuron disease, but no successful treatment has yet been developed.
Myasthenia gravis: - This is a rare muscle disease in which the muscles tire quickly and take a long time to recover from contractile function. Muscle dysfunction may be so severe that patients cannot even hold their eyelids and speech becomes slurred.
Poisons - poisonous substances also often cause muscle weakness and paralysis due to the effect on the nerves. Examples are phosphates and botulinum toxin. In case of exposure to phosphates, weakness and paralysis may be persistent.
Addison's disease
Addison's disease is a rare disorder in which the adrenal glands become underactive, leading to a lack of steroids in the blood and an imbalance in blood electrolytes. The disease usually develops gradually. Patients may notice a change in skin color (tanning) due to skin pigmentation. There may be weight loss. Muscle fatigue can be mild and is often an early symptom. The disease is often difficult to diagnose and special examinations are required to diagnose this disease. Other rare hormonal causes of muscle weakness include acromegaly (excessive production of growth hormone), an underactive pituitary gland (hypopituitarism), and severe vitamin D deficiency.
Diagnosis of muscle weakness and treatment
In the presence of muscle weakness, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will be primarily interested in answers to the following questions:
- How did muscle weakness appear and when?
- Are there any dynamics of muscle weakness, both increase and decrease?
- Is there a change in general well-being, weight loss, or have you traveled abroad recently?
- What medications is the patient taking and has anyone in the patient's family had muscle problems?
The physician will also need to examine the patient to determine which muscles are susceptible to weakness and whether the patient has true or suspected muscle weakness. The doctor will check to see if there are signs of the muscles becoming softer to the touch (which could be a sign of inflammation) or if the muscles are tiring too quickly.
The doctor should then check the nerve conduction to determine if there are any conduction disorders from the nerves to the muscles. In addition, the doctor may need to check the central nervous system, including balance and coordination, and may order laboratory tests to determine changes in hormone levels, electrolytes, and other indicators.
If this does not allow determining the cause of muscle weakness, then other diagnostic methods may be prescribed:
- Neurophysiological studies (ENMG, EMG).
- Muscle biopsy to determine the presence of morphological changes in the muscles
- Tissue scanning using CT (MSCT) or MRI in those parts of the body that can affect muscle strength and function.
The combination of medical history data, symptoms, objective examination data and the results of laboratory and instrumental methods of research allows in most cases to find out the true cause of muscle weakness and determine the necessary treatment tactics. Depending on the genesis of muscle weakness (infectious, traumatic, neurological, metabolic drug, etc.), the treatment should be pathogenetic. Treatment can be either conservative or surgical.
1.2. DEFICIENCY OF MUSCLE ACTIVITY
Restriction of muscle activity is one of the most important components of the symptoms of hypokinetic syndrome. A long-term change in the volume of muscle activity leads to a decrease in energy consumption, a decrease in bioenergetics and the intensity of structural metabolism in the muscles, a weakening of tonic impulses from the muscles, and a decrease in the load on the skeletal system [Kovalenko E. A., Gurovsky N. N., 1980]. Proprioception from the muscles during vigorous activity is a powerful source that maintains a constant sufficient level of trophism in almost all organs and systems, including the brain and higher centers of endocrine regulation [Mogendovich M.R., 1965]. Constant muscle activity is vital not only for the normal function of most systems and organs, i.e. effectors as such, but also for the central nervous system. It is in the motor analyzer that all cortical afferentations converge and converge, not only proprioceptive, but also exteroceptive and interoceptive. On the emergence of moderate muscle pain in the back region already with 20-day hypokinesia was first indicated by L. I. Kakurin (1968). Together with M. A. Cherepakhin (1968), he also noted a decrease in muscle tone. V. S. Gurfinkel et al. (1968) observed a violation of motor automatisms (synergy) during 70-day hypokinesia, which manifests itself in a disorder of such integral acts as standing and walking, and the underlying innervation relationships. It has been established that staying in conditions of hypokinesia leads to the development of atrophic changes in the muscles [Kozlovskaya IB et al., 1982; Hristova L. G. et al., 1986]. The support unloading factor is of great importance in the pathogenesis of motor disorders in conditions of hypokinesia. The decrease in the influx of support stimuli, which plays a leading role in the control system of postural-tonic reactions, caused by this factor, causes a decrease in the tone of the “anti-gravitational muscles” and, therefore, triggers a chain of reactions characteristic of the atonic syndrome [Hristova L. G. et al., 1986] . According to the same authors, after a 3-day stay under immersion conditions, the properties of action potentials of muscle fibers changed significantly, which was expressed in a decrease in the rate of propagation of excitation. The leading role in the development of changes belongs to disturbances in trophic influences resulting from a decrease in afferent inflow in conditions of support unloading, atony, and the almost complete absence of motor activity.
In rats with limited motor activity, changes in metabolism were revealed [Ilyina-Kakueva E. I., Novikov V. E., 1985]. In the soleus muscle, the activity of flavin oxidative enzymes changed, which was expressed in a significant increase in the activity of glycerophosphate dehydrogenase and a significant decrease in the activity of succinate. The authors believe that the reason for the increase in the activity of glycerophosphate dehydrogenase is the need to utilize lipids released during the massive breakdown of the membrane structures of muscle fibers undergoing atrophic and dystrophic processes. A significant decrease in the activity of succinate dehydrogenase, which is one of the key enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and a slight change or no change in the activity of other enzymes of this cycle indicate a selective disturbance in the muscle fibers of the process of converting succinic acid. With the restriction of motor activity in the muscles, the content of glycogen was found [Blinder L. V., Oganov V. S., Potapov A. N., 1970; Cherny A. V., 1975; Ilyina-Kakueva E. I., Portugalov V. V., 1981; Zipman R. L. et al., 1970].
According to V. S. Oganov (1985), under conditions of prolonged bed rest, the functional capabilities of muscles decrease, and movement disorders observed after relative inactivation of the muscular apparatus are to a certain extent due to adaptive functional atrophy of individual muscles or muscle groups.
Changes physiological properties skeletal muscles of humans and animals with limited motor activity are considered as a manifestation of functional plasticity skeletal muscle.
Under conditions of antiorthostatic hypokinesia lasting up to 182 days, a twofold decrease in the electromechanical efficiency of muscles was found [Oganov V.S., 1982; Rakhmanov A. S. et al., 1982]. Maximum plantar flexion strength throughout the study was below baseline. Hypotrophy and hypodynamia of some muscle fibers under these conditions lead to the activation of an additional number of motor units to perform equivalent work. This is accompanied by a disproportionate increase in muscle electrical production and, accordingly, indicates a decrease in the electromechanical efficiency of the muscle as a whole. In the later periods of the experiment, the specific bioelectrical activity of the muscles increases, which, in the absence of a significant synchronous decrease in strength, may reflect their increased fatigue. This is consistent with the data on the restructuring of human muscle metabolism during hypokinesia towards the activation of glycolysis processes against the background of aerobic respiration inhibition [Kovalenko E. A., Gurovsky N. N., 1980].
Hypokinesia in rats lasting from 22 to 30 days is not accompanied by a noticeable decrease in muscle mass, with the exception of the shoulder muscle. On the contrary, an increase in the mass of the soleus muscle in relation to body weight was found. After 22 days of hypokinesia, there was a tendency to increase the average fiber diameter, isometric contraction and the performance of muscle fibers, more noticeable in the soleus muscle and the medial head of the triceps muscle of the shoulder; a tendency to decrease in efficiency was noted in the shoulder muscle [Oganov V.S., 1984]. Under conditions that are usually defined as hypokinesia, there does not seem to be any actual inactivation of the postural muscles in rats. There is evidence of an increase in the motor activity of animals as a manifestation of a stress reaction during a month of their stay in cramped cages [Gaevskaya MS et al., 1970]. During this period, signs of activation of the pituitary-adrenal system were found in rats [Portugalov VV et al., 1968; Kazaryan V. A. et al., 1970], as well as other manifestations of the general stress reaction [Kirpchsk L. T., 1980]. With longer hypokinesia (90 and 120 days), there was a slowdown in the isometric contraction of soleus muscle preparations [Oganov V.S., Potapov A.N., 1973], while no changes in absolute muscle strength were found. The specific biomechanical effect of hypokinesia may be due to an increased load on the extensors of the foot in the form of prolonged stretching when animals are kept in cramped cages. During force unloading of the muscles (“hanging out” model), mass loss was noted in the soleus muscle and the medial head of the triceps brachii muscle, as well as a decrease in the average diameter of muscle fibers. In accordance with this, a decrease in the amplitude of their isometric contraction was noted [Oganov V. S. et al., 1980]. Leading biochemical factors that change the conditions of functioning different muscles under conditions of hypokinesia, are their power unloading and a decrease in the tonic component of movements. With hypokinesia in dogs, created by muscle inactivation, functional atrophy of the gastrocnemius and plantar muscles developed, expressed in a decrease in strength, mechanical power and performance [Kozlova V.T. et al., 1977]. Functional insufficiency of the muscles active in the support period of the step, in turn, causes the disorganization of locomotion observed after experimental effects, manifested by instability of the gait, an increase in the rate of movements, lengthening of the support period and the double support phase, an increase in the amplitude and speed of vertical movements in the distal joints of the hind limbs, disproportionate an increase in the energy of the bioelectrical activity of the muscles. According to V. S. Oganov (1984), the changes that develop in the skeletal muscles of humans and animals during hypokinesia are a special case of the manifestation of their functional plasticity.
What is muscle weakness? Muscle weakness is a decrease in the contractility of one or a group of muscles in any part of the body.
The syndrome of muscle weakness is called myasthenia gravis, which can develop as a result of damage to the anatomical components of the limbs (vessels, bones, articular surfaces, nerves). Muscle weakness can develop in both the arms and legs.
Many people face this problem. And everyone seeks to get rid of the feeling of discomfort, resorting to various methods. But it is not always possible to achieve the desired result. In this regard, the concept of effectiveness of therapy arises. For its implementation, it is necessary to establish the cause of the appearance of muscle weakness.
What is muscle weakness and rapid muscle fatigue?
Weakness in the muscles is a common phenomenon that includes several concepts. These include dysfunction, tiredness and fatigue.
Primary muscle weakness (true) - non-functioning of the muscle, a decrease in power capabilities, the inability of a person to perform an action with the help of a muscle. It is also typical for trained people.
Asthenia - muscle fatigue, exhaustion. The functional abilities of the muscles are preserved, but more effort is required to perform actions. It is typical for people suffering from insomnia, chronic fatigue and heart, kidney, and lung disease.
Muscle fatigue - rapid loss of the ability of the muscles to function normally and their slow recovery, which is often observed with asthenia. Common in people with myotonic dystrophy.
Causes of muscle weakness in the legs and arms.
Almost everyone experiences muscle weakness and there are a number of reasons for this:
Neurological (stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord and brain injuries, meningitis, polio, encephalitis, Guillain-Barré autoimmune disease).
deficit physical activity(muscle atrophy due to inactivity).
Bad habits (smoking, alcohol, cocaine and other psychoactive substances).
Pregnancy (lack of iron (Fe), increased physical activity, high hormonal levels).
Old age (weakening of muscles as a result of age-related changes).
Injuries (damage to muscle tissue, sprain and dislocation).
Medications (certain drugs or their overdose can cause muscle weakness - antibiotics, anesthetics, oral steroids, interferon, and others).
Intoxication (poisoning of the body with narcotic and other harmful substances).
Oncology (malignant and benign tumors).
Infections (tuberculosis, HIV, syphilis, severe influenza, hepatitis C, Lyme disease, glandular fever, polio, and malaria).
Cardiovascular disease (inability to provide the muscles with the necessary amount of blood).
Endocrine pathologies (diabetes mellitus, malfunctions in the thyroid gland, electrolyte imbalance).
Problems with the spine (curvature, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia).
Genetic diseases (myasthenia gravis, myotonic dystrophy and muscle dystrophy).
Damage to the sciatic or femoral nerve (muscle weakness in only one limb).
Chronic diseases of the lungs (COPD, lack of oxygen) and kidneys (salt imbalance, release of toxins into the blood, lack of vitamin D and calcium (Ca)).
Lack of sleep, dehydration, anemia, anxiety, and depression can also lead to muscle weakness.
Symptoms of muscle weakness.
A feeling of weakness in the arms, legs or body is often accompanied by drowsiness, fever, chills, impotence and apathy. Each of the symptoms informs about serious problems of the body as a whole.
There are frequent manifestations of muscle weakness at elevated temperature, which is a consequence of inflammatory processes - bronchitis, a common cold, cold kidneys, etc. The slightest jump in temperature leads to incorrect work of metabolic processes, and the body gradually loses its functional abilities. Therefore, at temperature, weakness and muscle weakness are observed, and not only in the limbs.
Manifestations of the disease are also characteristic of intoxication. Poisoning of the body can be caused by stale foods, hepatitis, a certain virus, etc.
In addition, weakness and drowsiness can be a dangerous pathology of an allergic and infectious nature. Brucellosis is considered the most dangerous, often depriving its carrier of life.
There is weakness in the muscles and blood infections - leukemia and myeloid leukemia. The same symptomatology is manifested in rheumatism.
Contribute to the formation of the main symptom and somatic diseases, including amyloidosis, Crohn's disease (associated with digestion), kidney failure and cancerous tumors.
Disorders of the endocrine system lead to muscle weakness, as do epilepsy, neurasthenia, depression and neurosis.
Muscle weakness in VVD, depression, neurosis.
VVD (vegetative-vascular dystonia) manifests itself in several diseases, including hormonal disorders and mitochondrial pathology. A number of symptoms are formed against the background of autonomic dysfunction of the vascular system and heart muscle. This is what leads to circulatory disorders.
As a result, the limbs do not receive enough oxygen and red blood cells. Difficulty removing carbon dioxide from the body. This causes severe weakness, dizziness, or even body aches, and when the VVD is running, fainting.
The best way to eliminate the disease is physical activity. To normalize metabolic processes, lactic acid is needed, the production of which stops with low physical activity. Doctors recommend moving more - walking, running, doing daily workouts.
Drug and folk therapies are not only ineffective, but are also fraught with complications in case of muscle weakness against the background of VVD.
Depression against the background of disappointment, loss, bad mood and other difficulties can drive you into a melancholy state. Symptoms may include lack of appetite, nausea, dizziness, strange thoughts, pain in the heart - all this manifests itself in the form of weakness, including muscle weakness.
With depression, overcoming muscle weakness will help such procedures:
proper nutrition;
full sleep;
cold and hot shower;
positive emotions;
help of a psychotherapist (with severe depression).
Neurosis is characterized by nervous exhaustion of the body through prolonged stress. Often the disease accompanies VVD. In addition to the physical, there is also mental weakness. To eliminate the consequences, a set of measures is required, including a change in lifestyle, giving up bad habits, playing sports, walking on fresh air, as well as drug therapy and a course of psychotherapy from a specialist.
Muscle weakness in a child.
The occurrence of muscle weakness is typical not only for adults, but also for children. Often they have a time difference between the supply of a nerve signal and the subsequent reaction of the muscles. And this explains the behavior of babies who are unable to keep the body or limbs in a fixed position for a long time.
The causes of muscle weakness in a child can be:
myasthenia gravis;
congenital hypothyroidism;
botulism;
muscular dystrophy and spinal atrophy;
blood poisoning;
consequences of drug therapy;
an excess of vitamin D;
Down syndrome (Prader-Willi, Marfan).
With the development of muscle weakness, regardless of its cause, the child's appearance changes.
Primary symptoms of muscle weakness in a child:
- the use of limbs as a support through their placement to the sides;
- involuntary placement of hands, slipping when lifting by the armpits (the child cannot hang on the parent's arms with the armpits);
- inability to keep the head straight (lowering, tilting);
- lack of flexion of the limbs during sleep (arms and legs are located along the body);
- general delay in physical development (inability to hold objects, sit upright, crawl and roll over).
Therapy depends on the cause and degree of muscle dysfunction. Specialists such as an orthopedist, physiotherapist, neurologist, and others may prescribe the following treatments:
Special exercises.
Proper nutrition.
Development of coordination of movements, as well as fine motor skills.
Development of posture and formation of gait.
Physiotherapy procedures.
Medicines (anti-inflammatory and tonic muscles).
Sometimes a trip to a speech therapist (improvement of speech).
It is possible to restore muscle function in a child with any diagnosis, but subject to a timely visit to the doctor.
When is it necessary to see a doctor?
Often, muscle weakness is the result of overwork or temporary weakness. But in some cases, it may indicate the presence of a serious illness. And if the weakness is intermittent or permanent, you should immediately visit a doctor.
To find out the cause of discomfort, such specialists as a therapist, neurologist, endocrinologist, surgeon and others will help. You will also need to pass some tests and undergo a series of examinations.
If muscle weakness is rare, there is no sensation of pain or numbness, and it resolves quickly, doctors recommend doing the following on your own:
balance the diet;
drink more purified water;
take more walks in the fresh air.
For other manifestations of muscle weakness, it is necessary to make an appointment with a specialist to eliminate the possible disease as soon as possible. And self-medication in such cases is contraindicated.
Diagnostics.
Before prescribing effective treatment, specialists carry out the necessary diagnostic measures, including instrumental and laboratory examinations. For a patient with muscle weakness, the following procedures are provided:
Consultation of a neurologist.
Blood test (general and antibodies).
Cardiogram of the heart.
Examination of the thymus.
Electromyography (determination of the amplitude of muscle potential).
Muscle weakness - treatment.
If muscle weakness is caused by overwork, it is enough to let the limbs rest after power load or a long walk (especially in uncomfortable shoes). In other cases, appropriate therapy may be prescribed:
- muscle development through exercise special exercises;
- medicines to improve brain activity and blood circulation;
- drugs that remove toxins from the body;
- antibacterial agents for infections in the spinal cord or brain;
- increased neuromuscular activity through special drugs;
- elimination of the consequences of poisoning;
- a surgical intervention aimed at removing tumors, abscesses and hematomas.
Increasing weakness on the left side may signal a stroke.
Traditional methods of treatment of muscle weakness.
You can fight muscle weakness at home. To do this, you must take the following steps:
Take 2-3 tbsp. l. grape juice a day.
Drink 1 glass of unpeeled potato decoction three times a week.
Every evening, use an infusion of motherwort (10%) in a volume of ½ cup.
Make a mixture of walnuts and wild honey (proportions 1 to 1), eat every day (course - several weeks).
Include low-fat protein foods (fish, poultry) in your diet.
Increase your intake of foods containing iodine.
30 minutes before a meal, drink a mixture of 2 tbsp. l. sugar, ½ cup cranberry juice and 1 cup lemon juice.
Take orally 30 minutes before eating tinctures of ginseng, aralia or lemongrass.
Take relaxing baths with essential oils or citrus fruits (water temperature should vary between 37-38 degrees Celsius).
2 tbsp juniper (berries) and 1 cup of boiling water will calm the nervous system, restore muscle tone.
Instead of water, drink a chilled infusion made from 1 tbsp. oat straw and 0.5 liters of boiling water.
Possible consequences and complications.
Lack of physical activity provokes a decrease in muscle tone and entails a number of other problems. These should include:
- deterioration of coordination;
- slowing down metabolism;
- decreased immunity (susceptibility to viral diseases);
- problems with the heart muscle (tachycardia, bradycardia and hypotension);
- swelling of the limbs;
- weight gain.
Prevention.
To avoid problems associated with muscle fatigue, it is recommended to follow a few simple rules:
Stick to proper nutrition(with the inclusion in the diet of foods rich in protein and calcium, cereals, vegetables, herbs, honey, vitamins) and lifestyle.
Spend enough time working, resting and playing sports.
Control blood pressure.
Avoid stress and excessive fatigue.
Be outdoors.
Give up bad habits.
Contact your doctor if you have serious problems.
In old age, it is desirable to abandon a sedentary lifestyle, to devote more time therapeutic gymnastics and walks in the fresh air, and also do not neglect massage therapy.
Muscle weakness is a phenomenon inherent in everyone. Everyone can fight the disease, especially in cases of overwork and lack of physical activity. But for more serious reasons, you will need the help of a specialist. He diagnoses the problem and prescribes effective treatment. Stick to the recommendations, and myasthenia gravis will bypass you.
Modern man moves much less than his ancestors. This is primarily due to the achievements of scientific and technical progress: elevators, cars, public transport, etc. Particularly relevant is the problem of insufficient physical activity among workers mental labor. But maybe minimizing muscle activity is a good thing? Maybe in this way we reduce the wear and tear of the musculoskeletal system, internal organs and systems, so to speak, we protect the body? You will find answers to these and some other questions in this article.
In order to understand how motor activity affects the organs and systems of the body, it is necessary to understand how the activity of muscles is carried out and regulated.
The musculoskeletal system consists of bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles. Bones are connected by joints and ligaments. Muscles are attached to bones with tendons. Muscles are innervated (receive commands to start or stop contractile activity) by nerves that send signals from the spinal cord. Proprioreceptors (internal receptors that provide information about the location of body parts in space, about articular angles and the rates of their change, about the amount of mechanical pressure on tissues and internal organs) located in joints, tendons and muscles, provide information to the central nervous system about their condition (position) through nerves that send signals from receptors to the spinal cord. Depending on the type and intensity of the signal, it is either processed at the level of the segment of the spinal cord at which the signal was received, or sent to the "higher authorities" - the medulla oblongata, the cerebellum, the basal nuclei, the motor area of the cerebral cortex. In addition to the nervous system, blood is also involved in the management and provision of muscle work (providing muscles with oxygen and “fuel” - glycogen, glucose, fatty acids; removal of metabolic products, humoral regulation), the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, as well as some glands and organs. The coordinated work of all the above elements allows us to carry out motor activity.
Movement is necessary for the effective adaptation of the body to the environment. That is, if it is hot here, then we will move to where it is cooler, if we are in danger, then we will run away from it or begin to defend ourselves.
The evolutionary movement was necessary for the body to ensure the balance of the internal environment. That is, it made it possible to move to where it was possible to satisfy the biologically significant needs of the body. With evolutionary species development, it was required to perform a greater range of movements of a more complex nature. This led to an increase in muscle mass and the complexity of the systems that control it; these changes were accompanied by a shift in the balance of the internal environment (homeostasis). In addition, the movement, leading to a violation of homeostasis, has become one of the most important conditions for its maintenance. That is why movements have such a huge impact on all body systems.
Muscles are genetically programmed to do a huge amount of work. The development of the body and its functioning in different periods of life directly depend on how actively they work. This rule is called the "energy rule of skeletal muscles" and was formulated by I.A. Arshavsky.
A.V. Nagorny and his students proceeded from the belief that aging is synonymous with the age-related development of the organism as a whole. With aging, not just the extinction of volume and functions occurs, but a complex restructuring of the body.
One of the main patterns of aging of the body is the reduction of its adaptive-regulatory capabilities, i.e. "reliability". These changes are gradual.
Stage 1 - "maximum tension", mobilization of vitauction processes. (Vitaukt is a process that stabilizes the life of the organism, increases its reliability, aimed at preventing damage to living systems with age and increasing life expectancy). The optimal range of changes in metabolism and functions is maintained, despite the progression of aging processes.
Stage 2 - "decrease in reliability" - despite the processes of vitauction, the adaptive capabilities of the body are reduced while maintaining the level of basal metabolism and functions.
Stage 3 - change in basal metabolism and functions.
Consequently, with aging, the ability to adapt to significant loads first decreases, and eventually, the level of metabolism and functions changes even at rest.
The level of motor activity affects various organs and systems of the body. Lack of range of motion is called hypokinesia. Chronic insufficient load on the muscles is called hypodynamia. Both the first and the second have much greater consequences for the body than most people think. If hypokinesia is simply a lack of intensity or volume of metabolism, then hypodynamia is morphological changes in organs and tissues caused by hypokinesia.
Consequences of hypokinesia and hypodynamia
IN real life the average citizen does not lie motionless, fixed on the floor: he goes to the store, to work, sometimes even runs after the bus. That is, in his life there is a certain level of physical activity. But it is clearly not enough for the normal functioning of the body! There is a significant debt volume of muscle activity.
Over time, our average citizen begins to notice that something is wrong with his health: shortness of breath, tingling in different places, periodic pain, weakness, lethargy, irritability, and so on. And the further - the worse.
How does the lack of physical activity affect the body?
Cell
Most researchers associate the primary mechanisms of aging with disorders in the genetic apparatus of cells, the program of protein biosynthesis. During normal operation, DNA damage cells are restored due to the existence of a special DNA repair system, the activity of which decreases with age, which contributes to the growth of the damaged chain of the macromolecule, the accumulation of its fragments.
One of the reasons for this weakening of cellular regulation is the lack of overall activity of the organism. In many cells, oxygen consumption decreases, the activity of respiratory enzymes decreases, the content of energy-rich phosphorus compounds - ATP, creatine phosphate.
The formation of energy potentials occurs in the mitochondria of the cell. With age, the synthesis of mitochondrial proteins decreases, reduces the amount, and their degradation occurs.
The lability of cells and cellular compounds decreases, i.e. their ability to reproduce frequent rhythms of excitations without their transformation.
Decreased cell mass. Cellular body mass of a healthy 25-year-old male
makes up 47% of the total body weight, and in 70-year-olds, only 36%.
Insufficiency of cellular activity in many tissues of the body contributes to the accumulation of "undigested residues" (excretory inclusions) in cells, which gradually form large reserves in the cell of "senile pigment" - lipofuscin, which impairs the functional functioning of cells.
As a result, there is an intensive accumulation of free radicals in the cells of the whole organism, which causes genetic changes in the cell. There is a critical state of risk of cancer.
Central nervous system (CNS)
With a lack of movement, the volume of impulses from proprioreceptors is significantly reduced. But it is precisely a sufficient level of signals from them that maintains the biologically necessary tone of the central nervous system, ensuring its adequate work to control the body. Therefore, with a lack of motor activity, the following occurs:
The connections between the muscles and the central nervous system worsen
Fatigue sets in quickly
Decreased coordination of movements
Trophic (nutritional) functions of the nervous system are disturbed
The connections between the central nervous system and internal organs worsen, which causes an increase in humoral regulation and a violation of hormonal balance.
The lability of many brain structures decreases, differences in the excitability of various parts of the brain are smoothed out.
The functioning of sensory systems deteriorates
Emotional instability, irritability
All this causes a deterioration in the work of attention, memory, thinking.
Note that it is non-dividing cells (which include nerve, connective, etc.) that age in the first place.
Respiratory system
Lack of movement leads to atrophy of the respiratory muscles. Bronchial peristalsis is weakened. The walls of the bronchi with age are infiltrated by lymphoid and plasma elements, mucus and exfoliating epithelium accumulate in their lumens. This causes a decrease in the lumen of the bronchi. Violated permeability and the number of functioning capillaries.
The lack of muscle activity is reflected in the respiratory function as follows:
Decreased depth of breathing
Decreased lung capacity
Decreased minute volume of breathing
Decreased maximum pulmonary ventilation
All this leads to a decrease in oxygen saturation of arterial blood and insufficient oxygen supply to tissues at rest. In diseases accompanied by an increase in body temperature, the respiratory system is not able to supply organs and tissues with oxygen in the right amount, which leads to metabolic disorders and premature wear of organs. And during muscular work, even of moderate intensity, there is oxygen debt, reduces its duration, and increases the cooldown.
The cardiovascular system
In normal condition bulk load of cardio-vascular system is to ensure the return of venous blood from the lower body to the heart. This is facilitated by:
1. Pushing blood through the veins during muscle contraction;
2. Suction action chest due to the creation of negative pressure in it during inhalation.
3. The device of the venous bed.
With a chronic lack of muscle work with the cardiovascular system, the following pathological changes occur:
The effectiveness of the “muscle pump” decreases - as a result of insufficient strength and activity of the skeletal muscles;
The effectiveness of the "respiratory pump" to ensure venous return is significantly reduced;
Cardiac output decreases (due to a decrease in systolic volume - a weak myocardium can no longer push out as much blood as before);
The reserve of increase in the stroke volume of the heart is limited when performing physical activity;
The heart rate (HR) increases. This is due to the fact that the effect of cardiac output and other factors to ensure venous return has decreased, but the body needs to maintain a vital level of blood circulation;
Despite the increase in heart rate, the time for a complete blood circulation increases;
As a result of an increase in heart rate, the autonomic balance shifts towards increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system;
Vegetative reflexes from the baroreceptors of the carotid arch and aorta are weakened, which leads to a breakdown in the adequate informativeness of the mechanisms for regulating the proper level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood;
Hemodynamic provision (the required intensity of blood circulation) lags behind the growth of energy demands during physical activity, which leads to an earlier inclusion of anaerobic sources of energy, a decrease in the threshold of anaerobic metabolism;
The amount of circulating blood decreases, i.e., a larger volume of it is deposited (stored in the internal organs);
atrophies muscle layer vessels, their elasticity decreases;
The nutrition of the myocardium is deteriorating (ischemic heart disease looms ahead - every tenth dies from it);
The myocardium atrophies (why do you need a strong heart muscle if high-intensity work is not required?).
The cardiovascular system detrains. Its adaptability is reduced. The risk of developing cardiovascular diseases increases.
A decrease in vascular tone as a result of the above reasons, as well as smoking and an increase in cholesterol, leads to arteriosclerosis (hardening of blood vessels), the vessels of the elastic type are most susceptible to it - the aorta, coronary, renal and cerebral arteries. The vascular reactivity of hardened arteries (their ability to contract and expand in response to signals from the hypothalamus) is reduced. Atherosclerotic plaques form on the walls of blood vessels. Increased peripheral vascular resistance. Fibrosis, hyaline degeneration develops in small vessels (capillaries), which leads to insufficient blood supply to the main organs, especially the myocardium of the heart.
Increased peripheral vascular resistance, as well as a vegetative shift towards sympathetic activity, becomes one of the causes of hypertension (an increase in pressure, mainly arterial). Due to the decrease in the elasticity of the vessels and their expansion, the lower pressure decreases, which causes an increase in pulse pressure (the difference between the lower and upper pressures), which eventually leads to an overload of the heart.
Hardened arterial vessels become less elastic and more fragile, and begin to collapse, thrombi (blood clots) form at the site of ruptures. This leads to thromboembolism - separation of the clot and its movement in the blood stream. Stopping somewhere in the arterial tree, it often causes serious complications in that it impedes the movement of blood. It often causes sudden death if a clot occludes a vessel in the lungs (pneumoembolism) or in the brain (cerebral vascular incident).
Heart attack, heart pain, spasms, arrhythmia and a number of other cardiac pathologies arise due to one mechanism - coronary vasospasm. At the time of the attack and pain, the cause is a potentially reversible nerve spasm of the coronary artery, which is based on atherosclerosis and ischemia (insufficient oxygen supply) of the myocardium.
Stroke, like cardiovascular disease, is a degenerative process associated with arteriosclerosis, the only difference is that the focus of degeneration (the location of pathological changes) is the delicate vessels that supply blood to the brain. The cerebral blood vessels are not spared from the general arterial damage caused by arteriosclerosis, overexertion, and so on.
Endocrine and digestive systems
Because Since the endocrine system is genetically programmed to ensure the functioning of the body, which produces enough muscle activity, then the lack of physical activity (physical inactivity) causes disturbances in the activity of the endocrine glands.
As a result of the deterioration of the trophism of the tissues of the internal organs and endocrine glands, their functions deteriorate with a compensatory increase in their parts (death of cell groups and hypertrophy of the remaining ones). This applies to the thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands. The blood supply to the stomach wall is disturbed, intestinal peristalsis worsens.
Thus, conditions are created for the emergence of a number of diseases of the endocrine and digestive systems.
All endocrine glands are under the control of the hypothalamic-pituitary complex.
Shifts in some parts of this most complex regulatory system are gradually causing changes in other links as well. For example, in men, testosterone production decreases with age, while in women it increases.
The mass of the liver is reduced.
Metabolic disease
As a result of a decrease in the activity of the cardiovascular system, endocrine and autonomic dysfunctions arising from insufficient muscle activity, the intensity of oxidative processes in the tissues of internal organs (hypoxia) decreases, which leads to their degeneration and reduced performance.
There is a violation of lipid, carbohydrate, and later, vitamin metabolism.
It is known that the rate of aging processes after a person has reached full physical maturity is determined by the intensity of metabolism and the rate of cell proliferation (consecutive changes in the structure of cells of different tissues during prenatal development). N.I. Arinchin, the author of the tempo-cyclic hypothesis of aging, on the basis of comparative physiological studies, put forward ideas about the significance of the ratio of the processes of excitation and inhibition in the formation of different life spans of animals, about the optimal for each type of speed of cyclic processes occurring at all levels of the body's vital activity.
Due to autonomic imbalance, which causes, among other things, hyperactivity of the hypatolamo-adrenaline system, and a decrease in hypertensive kidney function and hypertrophy of the glomerular apparatus (caused by hypoxia of kidney tissues), sodium and calcium accumulate in the body, while potassium is lost, which is one of the the main reasons for the increase in vascular resistance with all the consequences. And in general, electrolyte balance is the "holy of holies" of the body, and its violation speaks of a very sad future.
As a result of a general decrease in the level of metabolism, a common picture is hyperfunction of the thyroid gland, the hormones of which stimulate many cellular processes, including those that do not need increased stimulation.
Regulatory shifts lead to the activation of genes that determine the formation of antibodies to free proteins in the body, and damage to cells and tissues by immune complexes.
And, finally, it is no secret to anyone that a lack of physical activity leads to obesity, the development, significance and ways of overcoming which can be found in the article "Obesity".
Musculoskeletal system
The musculoskeletal system also undergoes a number of changes:
The blood supply to the muscles worsens (including due to a decrease in the number of working capillaries);
Metabolism in the muscle decreases (the efficiency of transformation processes decreases, including the formation of ATP);
As a result, the synthesis of ATP is reduced, which is a direct source of energy not only in the muscle, but also in the cells of the whole organism;
Contractile properties of muscles worsen;
Decreased muscle tone;
are falling muscle strength, speed and endurance (especially static);
The proprioceptive sensitivity of the muscles is impaired (the ability to supply the central nervous system with information about the current location of the muscles in space);
There is a decrease in muscle mass and volume;
Increased excretion of calcium in the urine (this is one of the reasons for the decrease in bone strength);
Violated calcium-phosphorus metabolism in the bones;
Osteoporosis, osteochondrosis, hernia, arthrosis, arthritis and other degenerative and inflammatory processes in the bones and surrounding tissues;
Spinal deformity (with all the ensuing problems);
Decrease in body size with age.
Due to metabolic disorders and poor trophism of bone tissue, there is a significant replacement of bone tissue with fatty tissue. (Sometimes - up to 50% of the state in youth.) Erythropoiesis (hematopoiesis) decreases and the ratio of leukocytes changes. COE (blood clotting) may increase, which contributes to thrombosis. This causes diseases such as anemia, leukemia, etc.
Here is a summary of the consequences of insufficient muscle loading. Therefore, it is not surprising that hypokinesia and physical inactivity are considered risk factors for the development of diseases along with smoking and alcoholism.
It should be noted that the lack of muscle activity is especially dangerous in childhood and school age. It leads to a slowdown in the formation of the body, negatively affects the development of the respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine and other systems, resulting in insufficient development of the cerebral cortex. Attention, memory, thinking, character traits worsen, and social adaptation is formed with deviations, which forms the risk of the formation of psychopathologies.
The incidence of colds and infectious diseases also increases and the likelihood of their transition to chronic ones increases.
The effect of physical activity on the body
The value of physical activity has been known since antiquity. That is why systems of physical improvement appeared and developed in various areas of the globe.
A special role is played by motor activity as a factor in the functional induction of the processes of synthesis of biochemical compounds and the restoration of cellular structures, and the restoration of excess (accumulation of "free energy" in accordance with the energy rule of skeletal muscles of the negentropic theory of individual development by I.A. Arshavsky, 1982).
Various studies confirm the positive impact of physical culture and health-improving activities on the body: immunity normalizes, the risk of getting colds, infectious, cardiovascular diseases decreases, life expectancy increases, work productivity increases, well-being improves.
With a systematic physical load of medium intensity (65 -75% of the maximum, with a heart rate of 140-160 - see the detailed methodology for calculating the intensity of the load in the nearest site materials), the systems involved in the work, as well as the musculoskeletal system, are trained. Moreover, not only a specific effect takes place (the work of actively participating systems improves), but also a non-specific one (improvement of health in general: the frequency of occurrence of diseases decreases, recovery accelerates).
The functioning of the nervous system improves. The optimal tone of the central nervous system is maintained, coordination of movements improves, regulation of internal organs improves. In the mental sphere, there is a decrease in anxiety, emotional stress, normalization of the psycho-emotional sphere, a decrease in aggressiveness, an increase in self-esteem and self-confidence.
Improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Cardiac volume, systolic blood volume, cardiac output at rest and during exercise increase, heart rate at rest decreases, adequate vascular tone is maintained, myocardial blood supply improves, venous return is facilitated (due to more efficient use of the “muscle” and “respiratory” pumps) , the number of working capillaries increases, which contributes to increased nutrition and muscle recovery.
IN respiratory system the following changes occur: the depth of breathing increases, its frequency may decrease, the blood supply to the lungs improves, gas exchange processes in them intensify, and the respiratory volume increases.
The following happens in the musculoskeletal system: the volume, strength and endurance of muscles increase, their contractility increases, oxidative capabilities increase, as well as the ability to recover, the work of proprioreceptors improves, posture improves.
Volume of motor activity
It is clear that physical activity is necessary. However, there is a load limit, beyond which additional work is not only useless, but also harmful. With a constant “overload” of the load, a state of overtraining occurs, which can manifest itself in the following:
Sleep is disturbed
Pain in the muscles
The heart rate rises
Increased emotional instability
Loss of appetite and weight loss
Periodic bouts of nausea
Increased chance of getting colds
Blood pressure rises
In addition, excessive loads lead to wear of functional systems that are directly involved in providing work. In this case, negative cross-adaptation occurs - a violation of adaptive capabilities, and systems that are not directly related to this type of load (decreased immunity, impaired intestinal motility, etc.).
High-intensity exercise can cause damage to heart structures and muscles. Long debilitating static loads lead to a decrease in endurance, and dynamic - to increased fatigue. Significant muscle hypertrophy can lead to a deterioration in the provision of their work from the circulatory system, as well as increased production of lactate (a product of oxygen-free, anaerobic glycogen oxidation).
Excessive activity can lead to a shift in autonomic tone towards sympathetic activity, which causes hypertension and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Therefore, it is important to find the optimal level of loads, which, when given state organism will give the maximum training effect.
Various textbooks and health magazines often list average amounts of exercise, as well as training programs that must be performed to stay healthy and strong. For example, below is a table that indicates the required amount of physical activity depending on age.
Optimal volumes of physical activity (A.M. Alekseev, D.M. Dyakov)
Age Amount of physical activity (hours per week)
Preschoolers 21-28
Schoolboy 21-24
Students 10-14
Adults, manual workers
Adults, knowledge workers over 10, individually
Older people 14-21
However, the use of these average figures should be treated with caution. Obviously, the optimal amount of load depends not only on age, but also on the individual level of fitness, health and current psycho-emotional state.
The criteria for optimal load level and training mode can be selected as follows:
The appearance of "muscular joy" after training and its preservation between training sessions (a special elevated emotional state, a state of cheerfulness)
Absence of muscle, joint, tendon pain after training and between them
Performance improvement
Increasing emotional stability
Improving memory and attention
No sleep problems
Appetite improvement
Improving digestion
Endurance Improvement
Strength increase
No increase or significant decrease in heart rate and blood pressure at rest
Conclusions:
Motor activity directly affects the state of all body systems.
An optimal level of physical activity is necessary to maintain health
In the process of training, you need to focus on how you feel and measure some objective indicators of the state of the body.
About what kind of training load for a particular person is necessary (sufficient, but not excessive), you can find in other articles on our site.
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