5 Common injuries when you hit your 40’s
Have you noticed that the older you get the longer it takes for injuries to heal? Below are some reasons why we are more injury prone when we are in our forties or older.
- Loss of bone mass; peak bone is usually reached between the ages of 25-30 years. However when we get into our forties bone mass is lost faster than we can rebuild it. A loss of bone mass makes the bones more susceptible to injuries.
- Loss of muscle mass; in our late thirties muscle fibers start to diminish in number and size. Being sedentary accelerates this process even more.
- Cartilage and tendon become drier; the cartilage between our joints start to hold less water as we get older, making them more susceptible to rub away as we move. The can lead to bone on bone movements causing inflammation and osteoarthritis. Our tendons also become drier, which make them more susceptible to a tear or rupture.
- Ligaments are less elastic; with age our ligaments become less flexible. That is why it takes longer to recover from a ligament sprain. Knee and shoulder ligament sprains especially become more dangerous as we age.
- Some peoples’ bodies just age sooner; although we start to heal more slowly in our forties, there’s no set age at which bone, cartilage, tendon, and ligaments begin to degenerate. Factors such as, lifestyle, diet, body weight, activity level, and genetics all play a part in how we age.