Leg Strength may Support Brain Health as you age
Keeping your leg strength up can support your brain health and help prevent falls as you get older. There’s a connection between muscle strength, especially in the legs, and cognitive function, and staying active can decrease the chances of developing issues like dementia. A slower walking pace is tied to less social engagement, which may heighten the risk of cognitive decline and heart disease.
If you want to age well, you probably won’t want to skip leg day. Research shows that low muscle strength and leg power might shorten lifespan and reduce cognitive function in older adults.
Muscle mass starts to decline when you turn 30. Maintaining muscle strength, especially in your legs, is important for healthy ageing and brain function. Studies have linked sarcopenia significant muscle loss to cognitive decline.
“The most dynamic [and] the most independent older adult patients I see are those that are active and have stayed active across the lifespan,” said Amanda McKenna, PT, DPT, a board-certified geriatric clinical specialist and director of the Geriatric Physical Therapy Residency Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Rehabilitation Institute.
Staying active and building leg strength can help prevent falls. More than 14 million older adults fall each year, with lower body weakness being a key risk factor.
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Falling is a leading cause of injury-related deaths in older adults. People who survive often have head trauma, broken bones, or a fear of falling again that keeps them from physical activities.
Why Is Leg Strength Linked to Cognitive Health?
Muscle strength and physical activity also support and influence brain health. The brain, especially the hippocampus, shrinks with age. The hippocampus is important for memory and cognitive function, and significant hippocampus decline is seen in Alzheimer’s disease.
While there is no proven way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, regular physical activity can help lower your risk. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a lot: a 2011 study found that aerobic exercise, like walking, improved memory and hippocampus size in older adults.
“Maintaining strength in the legs through exercise may help protect against conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s, which are conditions that are associated with hippocampus shrinkage, and stronger leg muscles are positively associated with larger hippocampal volumes,” said Maegan Olivos PT, DPT, MPH, a board-certified specialist in geriatric physical therapy at Denver Health.
A 2015 study with identical twins found a strong association between leg power and improved cognitive ageing. The researchers used MRIs to study changes in the brain and found improvements throughout the brain, not just the hippocampus.2
“It’s probably not just affecting areas that might be involved in Alzheimer’s processes—it’s affecting the brain more generally,” said Claire Steves, PhD, a professor in ageing and health at King’s College London and lead author of the 2015 study.
Researchers are getting closer to understanding the mechanism that connects exercise and brain health. More evidence shows that exercise likely improves the body’s communication system and boosts neurogenesis (or the formation of new neurons) in the brain, according to Steves.
Walking Speed Matters Too
Leg strength can help maintain your walking speed too. A 2016 study found that people with a slow gait speed (how fast they walked) were three times more likely to have limited social participation compared to people with a fast gait speed.
Muscle weakness, pain, balance issues, neurological conditions, and poor heart health can all contribute to slower gait speed, according to Olivos.
People who move slower may find it harder to engage in social activities. Loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of cognitive decline, depression, heart disease, and early death.
One way to combat a slow gait? Make sure your leg muscles are ready to go. “Strengthening the leg muscles and building power in those muscles will help with gait speed,” Olivos said.
Simple Exercises to Improve Your Leg Strength
If you want to build leg strength to help you age well, the first step is to talk to your healthcare provider to make sure doing more activity is safe for you. Once you get the green light, start slowly to reduce your risk of injuries.
“Once you’re set up safely and cleared for exercise, you can do a lot of these exercises in your home,” Olivos said.
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Holding onto the kitchen counter while doing heel raises or marching in place are simple exercises you can practice at home. Try standing up and sitting down from a chair to start. Then, Olivos said you can eventually work up to holding weights or moderately heavy objects you have around the house, like a gallon jug filled with a few cups of water.
Finding a way to make exercise convenient for you will make it easier to stick with a new routine. “We just have to change what we initially think of as exercise and just promote activity throughout the day,” Olivos said.
In summary, to promote healthy ageing, focus on strengthening your legs and staying physically active. Leg strength may support brain health as you age. Developing leg muscles not only reduces the risk of falls but also supports brain health and encourages social interaction. Begin with basic exercises at home, like heel raises or sitting down and standing up from a chair, and slowly ramp up the intensity as you gain strength. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program.