As people get older, many notice that their bodies don’t feel as strong as they once did. Climbing stairs might become harder, getting out of a chair may take more effort, and everyday tasks can start to feel tiring.
Most people believe this happens simply because muscles weaken with age. But new research from Ohio University is offering a fresh explanation that could change how we think about growing older and staying strong.
The study, led by researcher Brian Clark, looked at muscle strength in 66 adults in their 70s. The researchers focused on the leg muscles that help straighten the knee, a motion we use when standing up or walking. At first, participants were asked to push as hard as they could against resistance, using only their own strength.
Then the researchers added something interesting: they used electrical stimulation to activate the same muscles. This technique sends small electrical signals straight to the muscle, helping it contract without relying on signals from the brain.
If the muscle suddenly became stronger after this stimulation, it meant the muscle itself was still capable — it just wasn’t receiving strong enough signals from the brain and nerves.
What the researchers found was surprising. Many of the people who had seemed weak during the first test actually had strong muscles — the problem was that their brain and nerves weren’t fully “turning on” those muscles.
For participants who were the weakest at first, their strength improved by over 14% after stimulation, which was twice as much as the improvement seen in stronger participants.
This means that, for many older adults, the issue isn’t that their muscles are too old to work well — it’s that their nervous system isn’t activating those muscles as effectively as it used to. In other words, the connection between the brain and muscles might be breaking down with age.
This new understanding could lead to better ways to help older people stay strong. Most current advice focuses on exercising the muscles — lifting weights, walking more, or doing resistance training. While this is still important, the study suggests that we also need to think about keeping our brain and nerves healthy.
Certain types of physical activity — like balance exercises, tai chi, dancing, or coordination training — don’t just build muscle. They also make the nervous system work harder, keeping the brain-muscle communication strong. These kinds of exercises might be especially useful for preventing age-related weakness.
The study also points to possible future treatments that use technology to boost the signals from the brain to the muscles. If scientists can find ways to strengthen these nerve signals, they may be able to help older adults maintain their strength for longer, reducing the risk of falls and helping people stay independent.
Published in JAMA Network Open, this research highlights just how important the brain and nervous system are in keeping our bodies strong. It challenges the idea that weaker muscles are just a normal part of aging and offers hope that with the right approach, many older adults can keep more of their strength than we once believed.
This new way of looking at muscle weakness could lead to a future where aging doesn’t have to mean losing strength — and where staying sharp, both mentally and physically, is the key to living well later in life.
If you care about muscle, please read studies about factors that can cause muscle weakness in older people, and scientists find a way to reverse high blood sugar and muscle loss.
For more health information, please see recent studies about an easy, cheap way to maintain muscles, and results showing these vegetables essential for your muscle strength.
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