Hi friends,

As your body ages, you may have noticed that it feels stiffer than it used to when you were in your teens or twenties.

But why does this happen?

First, we need to understand what collagen is and what it does. It is the main structural protein in connective tissue and plays a major role in the support and function of our bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and skin.

As we age, collagen fibers become more cross-linked and less elastic—imagine wires becoming tangled and harder to stretch.

Another factor that leads to stiffness is that the connective tissues have a lower water content as we age. This means that our tissues receive less lubrication, which decreases their pliability.

Finally, our joints are changing, including decreased cartilage thickness, reduced production of synovial fluid (the body’s natural WD-40), and decreased pliability of the joint capsule.

Although the normal stiffness of aging cannot be completely eliminated, a few strategies can significantly slow the process.

First, make sure that you have adequate hydration. Aim to drink 1 ounce of water for every 2 pounds of your body weight each day.

Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid intake also play key roles in making sure that your connective tissues are hydrated and pliable.

Regular exercise and mobility training can also improve your flexibility. Wolff’s law states that “connective tissues adapt their structure by laying down new tissue along the lines of the mechanical stress they experience.” Meaning that your body’s tissues adapt to the imposed demands.

This is one of the reasons why I highly recommend weight training with a focus on going through a muscle’s full range of motion. You’re making your body more mobile as well as making it stronger in the end-range positions.

If you’re not into weight training, something as simple as getting up to move every 30-45 minutes can make a big difference in combating muscle and joint stiffness.

Finally, maintaining a healthy body weight can decrease joint stress. For instance, the ground reactive forces through the knee with walking are 2-3 times your body weight. This means that if you weigh 150 pounds, there are 300-450 pounds of force going through your knee each step, making every pound of body weight significant.

As we say in the physical therapy community, motion is lotion. When in doubt, just keep moving.

Until next week,

Kevin