The Long-Lost Muscles

As you age, you start to feel weird aches and pains in parts of your body that you could not predict. You brush them off as muscle cramps or strains, but they don't seem to be healing as well as they should. You know why? It's because they aren't caused by cramps and strains. Those pains are caused by muscle weakness.¹

You've probably been told that as you age, you're supposed to focus on strengthening your legs and arms. It makes sense. Your legs are what keep you walking and your arms help you complete daily tasks. However, you're doing yourself a disservice if you believe that only keeping your legs and arms strong will keep you moving in old age. There are more muscles that need your attention because they allow you to move safely and free of pain.

The muscle groups in order of how forgotten they are from least forgotten to most:

Core:

If we all know it's so important, then why do we often forget to work on it? Because people misunderstand how to work it well without causing more pain. For example, you don't need to do sit-ups that cause neck pain. You can work your core in more comfortable ways, including sitting in a chair or standing up.

It's important to work your core because it literally holds you up. It keeps your spine straight. It keeps you from falling often. A strong core relieves pain in your hips. It helps you walk properly. It is what literally helps you get up in the morning. A strong core is important when you've undergone medical procedures, surgeries, or emergencies that make even getting up off the bed hard work. It even helps you lift heavy things you encounter in your life without injuring yourself.

Butt/Hip:

As part of your core, your butt/hip muscles are vitally important for moving your entire body. When you have pain in your legs or lower back, that pain is often actually caused by weakness in the hips and glute (butt) muscles. Having weak glute muscles can lead to injury in the hips that make it hard to walk and do fun activities. Knee pain is also often caused by weakness in the hips and glutes.

Chest:

Having a weak set of chest muscles, known as the pecs, can lead to back, shoulder, and neck pain. It can even make you start to round your shoulders forward, leaving you with a humped spine.

Women especially have a lot of back pain associated with weak chest muscles because they carry the extra weight of their breasts on their chests. Working the chest muscles can alleviate that pain and save women from opting for reduction surgery if they don't want it.

Neck:

Having weak neck muscles is a recipe for a lot of pain and potential injury. It can cause tension headaches that can stop your plans for the day in their tracks. It can cause jaw pain and teeth grinding. Neck pain can send numbness and more pain down your shoulders, chest, back, and arms. Neck pain can even impair your vision.²

Ankles:

If you've ever sprained your ankle, you know what we're going to say… The muscles that control your ankles need to be strong if you want to have good balance and not sprain or break your ankles. Weak ankles can also cause knee pain.³

Hands:

Repeat after me: Strength exercises help arthritis. Strength exercises help arthritis. Strength exercises help arthritis!⁴ Gently exercising your hands improves range of motion, decreases pain, and improves the symptoms of arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.5 Weakness in the hands also equates to weak grip strength, leading to difficulties holding and lifting things in your daily life.

Wrists:

Your wrists are so much more important than you can even guess. If you've ever had an injured wrist, you know! You can't do anything normal throughout your day without feeling pain. You can't push yourself up off of your bed. You can't brush your teeth. You can't work on your computer or hold your phone. You can't hold a baby. You can't carry grocery bags in from your car. To live your daily life, it is imperative to have strong and flexible wrists.

Feet and toes:

Balance problems and foot pain can often originate from lack of strength in your feet and toes. If you find yourself falling, feeling unstable, or tripping often, it is quite likely that your feet and toes need to be stronger. One easy way to start gaining foot/toe strength to feel more balanced is to not wear shoes all the time, especially while working out. Of course, you should still wear shoes while doing cardio exercises to reduce impact. However, when you are doing strengthening exercises, yoga, Pilates, and stretches, you should be barefoot. That way, your feet are becoming stronger when they try to stabilize you instead of your shoes doing all the work.

We understand that it can be difficult to find the time, energy, or ability to always complete a well-rounded strength workout. However, if you're ready to be pain-free, you'll have to find the time to complete even a short, 10-minute strength exercise. Still don't have the energy or ability? We're always here to help you find the right ways to workout that are within your energy levels and abilities. We'll identify which muscles need your attention the most. We'll even tell you exactly how to exercise that muscle to get the most bang for your buck.