The influence of physical activity on body weight and its insufficiency. Muscle weakness: causes, symptoms, treatment, signs

motor activity hypokinesia physical inactivity

Movement is the same physiological need for a living organism as the need for safety or a sexual partner. Failure to meet this need for a long time leads to the development of serious health problems, premature aging and death.

The vital necessity of movement has been proven in animal experiments. So, if rats (one of the most viable animals) are kept in conditions of complete immobility for 1 month, then 40% of the animals die. In conditions of minimal physical movement, 20% of animals die.

Chickens raised in conditions of immobilization in cramped cages and then released into the wild die after the slightest run around the yard.

There are two types of insufficient physical activity:

• - hypokinesia - lack of muscle movements,
• - physical inactivity - lack of physical exertion.

Usually, physical inactivity and hypokinesia accompany each other and act together, therefore they are replaced by one word (as you know, the concept of “hypodynamia” is most often used).

These are atrophic changes in muscles, general physical detraining, detraining of the cardiovascular system, decreased orthostatic stability, changes in water-salt balance, blood system, demineralization of bones, etc. Ultimately, the functional activity of organs and systems decreases, the activity of the regulatory mechanisms that ensure their interconnection is disrupted, and resistance to various unfavorable factors deteriorates; the intensity and volume of afferent information associated with muscle contractions decreases, coordination of movements is impaired, muscle tone (turgor) decreases, endurance and strength indicators decrease.

The most resistant to the development of hypodynamic signs are muscles of an anti-gravity nature (neck, back). The abdominal muscles atrophy relatively quickly, which adversely affects the function of the circulatory, respiratory, and digestive organs.

Under conditions of physical inactivity, the strength of heart contractions decreases due to a decrease in venous return to the atria, the minute volume, the mass of the heart and its energy potential are reduced, the heart muscle is weakened, and the amount of circulating blood decreases due to its stagnation in the depot and capillaries. The tone of arterial and venous vessels is weakened, blood pressure drops, the supply of oxygen to tissues (hypoxia) and the intensity of metabolic processes (imbalances in the balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water and salts) deteriorate.

The vital capacity of the lungs and pulmonary ventilation, as well as the intensity of gas exchange, decreases. All this is a weakening of the relationship between motor and autonomic functions, and inadequacy of neuromuscular tension. Thus, with physical inactivity, a situation is created in the body that is fraught with “emergency” consequences for its vital functions. If we add that the lack of the necessary systematic physical exercise is associated with negative changes in the activity of the higher parts of the brain, its subcortical structures and formations, then it becomes clear why the general defenses of the body decrease and increased fatigue occurs, sleep is disturbed, and the ability to maintain high mental performance decreases. or physical performance.

Lack of physical activity in our country is typical for the majority of the urban population and, especially, for people engaged in mental activity. These include not only knowledge workers, but also schoolchildren and students whose main activity is study.

According to WHO (World Health Organization), as of 1999, the number of people actively and regularly engaged in physical exercise in developed countries (such as the USA, France, Germany, Sweden, Canada) is about 60%, in Finland - 70%, in Russia - only 6% S.L. Axelrod Sports and health. M.: Education, 1987, 128 p.

Some consequences that result from a long-term decrease in physical activity See V.D. Kolesov, R.D. Mash. Basics of hygiene and sanitation. Textbook for grades 9-10. M.: Education, 1989. 191 p., p. 25-33:

Degenerative-dystrophic changes (degeneration processes due to metabolic disorders) develop in muscle cells, and muscle mass decreases. In this case, layers of adipose tissue may appear between the muscle fibers.

Muscle tone decreases, which leads to poor posture. Poor posture, in turn, leads to displacement of internal organs. Externally, a decrease in muscle tone manifests itself in the form of muscle sagging.

The load on the cardiovascular system is reduced, which leads to a decrease in the mass of the heart muscle and disruption of metabolic processes in the heart cells. The size of the heart decreases, the strength of the heart muscle decreases, and the condition of the heart vessels worsens. These changes increase the risk of developing heart pathologies, including fatal heart attacks.

The strength of the respiratory muscles and the functional state of the respiratory apparatus decreases. Congestion develops in the lungs, which is a prerequisite for the development of inflammatory diseases. In severe cases, pulmonary insufficiency may develop, with even minor muscle efforts causing attacks of severe shortness of breath.

Congestion develops in the organs of the abdominal cavity, including the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to food retention in the stomach, disruption of intestinal function, and increased decay processes. These changes are accompanied by intoxication (poisoning) with rotting poisons and constipation.

Weakness of the abdominal muscles (abdominal muscles, lateral surfaces of the torso, back) leads to a decrease in intra-abdominal pressure. The risk of prolapse of abdominal organs (for example, kidneys) increases.

The condition of the blood vessels deteriorates due to the lack of sufficient stress for them. Small vessels that have collapsed at rest in a sedentary person are closed almost all the time, which leads to a decrease in their number. Reducing the number of reserve vessels reduces the overall reserves of the body. The poor condition of the vascular walls contributes to the development of varicose veins, atherosclerosis, hypertension and other pathologies.

There is a decrease in the functions of the endocrine glands, including a decrease in the release of adrenaline, a hormone that helps to successfully overcome stressful conditions. In a sedentary person, the need to stimulate the synthesis of adrenaline by artificial means increases through smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol, etc.

Reducing the load on the bone apparatus and deteriorating their nutrition leads to the release of calcium from the bones, which impairs their strength. As a result, bones become susceptible to deformation under the influence of loads, for example, when carrying heavy loads.

Congestion develops in the pelvic organs with disruption of their function and, as a result, reproductive capacity (the ability to produce healthy sex cells) decreases, libido and potency decrease.

Sedentary and weakened women are characterized by difficult tolerability of pregnancy due to a decrease in the general functional state of the body, a long duration of labor and a high risk of birth mortality, as well as the poor health of the newborn child.

The body's energy expenditure is significantly reduced and, as a result, the metabolic rate decreases and body weight increases due to the fat component.

The rate of synthesis of substances decreases, and the speed and intensity of self-renewal of body cells decreases accordingly. The processes of decomposition of substances can exceed the processes of their synthesis - a premature aging process is observed.

A decrease in impulses entering the central nervous system from working muscles reduces its tone and functional state. As a result, the performance of the brain decreases, including a decrease in higher brain functions (thinking, memory, attention, etc.).

The deterioration of the functional state of the central nervous system reduces the quality of its trophic function - the function of controlling metabolic processes in all cells of the body. Deterioration of control over the flow of metabolism in the cells of the body leads to a decrease in the functional state of all organs and systems.

A decrease in the functional state of the central nervous system is accompanied by a sharp increase in emotional excitability, which, in turn, contributes to the development of emotional stress, and subsequently psychosomatic diseases.

The condition of the sense organs, especially the visual analyzer, as well as the vestibular apparatus, worsens. Coordination decreases, muscle sensitivity deteriorates (the ability to assess the position of the body and its individual parts in space, determine the amount of muscle tension). A person is significantly less able to control his movements.

Reduced control of the nervous system over cell metabolic processes and deterioration of blood supply to organs weaken the body’s immunity. As a result, the body's resistance to the development of any kind of disease decreases. In particular, a low level of immune control over cell division processes increases the risk of developing malignant tumors.

The monotonous sedentary state of the body gradually leads to a smoothing of biological rhythms (daily changes in pulse, temperature and other functions become less pronounced). As a result, sleep becomes weak, and during the waking period there is low performance, lethargy, high fatigue, poor health and mood, and a constant desire to rest.

The performance of the whole organism decreases, the “physiological cost of the load” increases, that is, the same load by a person with prolonged low physical activity will cause greater stress in the functioning of the organs that provide it (heart, respiratory system, etc.). In addition, in people who are physically inactive for a long time, physiological changes during exercise are irrational. Irrational physiological changes during exercise lead to high fatigue even at low levels of physical stress. The level of vital activity of the organism as a biological system decreases. That is, the body moves to a new, lower level of functioning. For example, the basal metabolism of a sedentary organism decreases by 10-20% (basic metabolism is the body’s energy expenditure for the minimum necessary vital functions: 1) metabolism in cells, 2) the activity of constantly working organs - respiratory muscles, heart, kidneys, brain , 3) maintaining a minimum level of muscle tone).

This phenomenon is called “hypokinetic disease” “hypokinesia”.

As physical activity decreases, muscles experience increasing atrophy with structural and functional changes leading to progressive muscle weakness. For example, due to weakening of the muscles of the ligamentous and bone apparatus of the trunk, lower extremities, which cannot fully perform their function - maintaining the musculoskeletal system, postural disorders develop, deformation of the spine, chest, pelvis, etc., which entail a number of health problems, which leads to decreased performance. Limitation of physical activity leads to changes in the functions of internal organs. At the same time, the SSS is very vulnerable. The functional state of the heart worsens, biological oxidation processes are disrupted, which impairs tissue respiration. With a small load, oxygen deficiency develops. This leads to early pathology of the circulatory system, the development of atherosclerotic plaques, and rapid wear and tear of the system.

Particular attention to physical activity should be paid to schoolchildren.

A necessary condition for the harmonious development of a student’s personality is sufficient physical activity. In recent years, due to the high academic load at school and at home and other reasons, most schoolchildren have experienced a deficit in their daily routine, insufficient physical activity, which causes the appearance of hypokinesia, which can cause a number of serious changes in the student’s body.

Research by hygienists shows that up to 82 - 85% of the daytime, most students are in a static position (sitting). Even among younger schoolchildren, voluntary motor activity (walking, playing) takes up only 16-19% of the day, of which only 1-3% is spent on organized forms of physical education. When children enter school, their overall physical activity drops by almost 50%, decreasing from junior to senior grades. It has been established that physical activity in grades 9-10 is less than in grades 6-7; girls take fewer steps per day than boys; physical activity on Sundays is greater than on school days. A change in the amount of physical activity was noted in different academic quarters. Physical activity of schoolchildren is especially low in winter; in spring and autumn it increases.

Schoolchildren not only have to limit their natural motor activity, but also maintain an uncomfortable static posture for a long time while sitting at a desk or study table.

A low-moving position at a desk or desk affects the functioning of many systems of the student’s body, especially the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. With prolonged sitting, breathing becomes less deep, metabolism decreases, blood stagnates in the lower extremities, which leads to a decrease in the performance of the entire body and especially the brain: attention decreases, memory weakens, coordination of movements is impaired, and the time of mental operations increases.

The negative consequences of hypokinesia also manifest themselves in the young body’s resistance to “colds and infectious diseases”; prerequisites are created for the formation of a weak, untrained heart and the associated further development of insufficiency of the cardiovascular system. Hypokinesia due to measured nutrition with a large excess of carbohydrates and fats in the daily diet can lead to obesity.

Sedentary children have very weak muscles. They are unable to maintain the body in the correct position, they develop poor posture and stoop.

Quite interesting observations of the effect of restricting physical activity on the physical development of a young organism have been published in the press. Scientists have found that 6-7 year old children who have already been admitted to school lag behind their peers who do not attend educational institutions in height, body weight and brain weight. The difference by the end of the year turns out to be significant: for boys the difference in height is 3.2 cm and body weight is 700 g. And for girls - 0.9 cm and 1 kg, respectively. 300 gr.

The only way to neutralize the negative phenomenon that occurs in schoolchildren during prolonged and intense mental work is active rest from school and organized physical activity.

A schoolchild’s motor regimen consists mainly of morning physical exercises, outdoor games during school breaks, physical education lessons, classes in clubs and sports sections, walks before bed, and active recreation on weekends.

With systematic physical education and sports, there is a continuous improvement of organs and systems in the human body. This is mainly the positive effect of physical education on health promotion.

The average growth and development indicators, as well as some functional indicators of young athletes are significantly higher than those of their peers who do not go in for sports: the body length of 16-17 year old boys is 5.7 - 6 cm more, body weight is 8 - 8.5 more kg, and the chest circumference is by 2.5 - 5 cm, the grip force of the hand is by 4.5 - 5.7 kg, the vital capacity of the lungs is by 0.5 - 1.4 liters.

The following observations are described in the literature: among schoolchildren involved in physical exercises, the back strength increased by 8.7 kg over the course of a year; among teenagers of the same age who were involved in physical education - by 13 kg, and among those who, in addition to physical education lessons, also engaged in sports - by 23 kg. A clear explanation for this is provided by the following experiment. When examining a section of an animal's muscles under a microscope, it was discovered that in one mm square of muscle at rest, there are from 30 to 60 capillaries. In the same area, after intensive physical exercise. During the work of the muscle, there were up to 30,000 capillaries, that is, tens of times more. In addition, each capillary increased almost 2 times in diameter. This indicates that at rest they do not participate in blood circulation, but during muscle activity the capillaries fill with blood and contribute to the flow of nutrients into the muscles. Thus, metabolism during muscle work increases many times compared to the resting state.

Muscles make up from 40 to 56% of a person’s body weight and one can hardly expect good health if a good half of the cells that make up the body do not receive sufficient nutrition and do not have good performance.

Under the influence of muscle activity, the harmonious development of all parts of the central nervous system occurs. It is important that physical The loads were systematic, varied and did not cause overwork. The higher part of the nervous system receives signals from the sensory organs and from skeletal muscles. The cerebral cortex processes a huge flow of information and carries out precise regulation of the body's activities.

Physical exercise has a beneficial effect on the development of such functions of the nervous system as strength, mobility and balance of nervous processes. Even intense mental activity is impossible without movement. So the student sat down and thought about a difficult problem and suddenly felt the need to walk around the room - it would be easier for him to work and think. If you look at a thinking schoolboy, you can see how collected all the muscles of his face and arms are. Mental work requires the mobilization of muscle efforts, since signals from muscles activate brain activity.

A decrease in physical activity leads to diseases (heart attack, hypertension, obesity, etc.). For example, in people with mental work, heart attacks occur 2-3 times more often than in people with physical work.

Pathological changes in the body develop not only in the absence of movement, but even during a normal lifestyle, but when the motor mode does not correspond to the genetic program “conceived” by nature. Lack of physical activity leads to metabolic disorders and impaired resistance to hypoxia (lack of oxygen).

A person’s ability to resist physical inactivity - the lack of muscle activity - is far from unlimited.

After just one or two weeks of bed rest, even completely healthy people experience a significant decrease in muscle strength, loss of coordination of movements, and decreased endurance. The negative consequences of physical inactivity extend to many functions of the body, even those not related to muscular work and movement.

For example, a lack of nerve impulses contributes to the development of inhibitory processes in the brain, which deteriorates its activity, which controls the functioning of internal organs.

As a result, their functioning and the interaction of these organs is gradually disrupted.

Previously, it was believed that physical exercise mainly affects the neuromuscular (or musculoskeletal) system, and changes in metabolism, circulatory system, respiratory system and other systems could be considered as secondary, secondary. Recent medical research has refuted these ideas.

It has been shown that during muscle activity a phenomenon called motor-viceral reflexes occurs, that is, impulses from working muscles are addressed to internal organs. This allows us to consider physical exercise as a lever that acts through muscles on the level of metabolism and the activity of the most important functional systems of the body.

Muscular activity is given one of the leading places in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and other organs.

From what has been said, it clearly follows that a long-term sedentary person is a sick person, or a person who will inevitably become sick.

Muscles don't grow: what to do?

Video: why doesn't muscle mass grow?

Muscle mass from a scientific point of view

Several months of grueling training are not producing results? A reasonable question arises: why is there no increase in muscle mass? In most cases, this can be explained by high expectations from a two- or three-month training. In such a time, it is impossible to gain several kilograms of muscle, lose fat and get the desired relief. No, of course, this is real if you use anabolic agents. Almost all of the amazing results that populate social media in the “before and after” series are the result of using pharma. And what’s most unpleasant is that only a few admit this, thereby creating the already mentioned inflated expectations.

Even adherents of natural bodybuilding often use special preparations, but they carefully hide this fact. This is important primarily for promoting your own training programs, methods and resources. If you doubt this, you can ask what the ancestors of bodybuilding looked like. For example, Charles Atlas and Georg Hackeschmidt - they definitely have natural muscles that have been developed over the years, because in the period when they lived, no one knew about anabolic steroids. Their body is the result of systematic strength training.

In order not to indulge yourself with illusions, it is worth understanding: it is impossible to quickly achieve results with natural training. This will take years. But it is also worth understanding that if there is no result with proper nutrition, adequate training and the use of sports nutrition, there are good reasons for this.

Reasons for lack of muscle growth

1. Heredity. It is your genes that predetermine the speed of metabolic processes, muscle growth, and even weight. Developing the correct principles for constructing training will not help you get gains if you have genetics that prevent you from doing so. At this stage of scientific development, it has not yet been possible to find ways to change a person’s genotype, but bad genes are not an excuse for the lack of muscle growth. By creating optimal conditions for your own body, thereby interfering with metabolic processes, you can try to achieve your goals. But still, you should first assess your own potential.
2. Lack of purpose. Even at the very beginning of the training, you need to determine for yourself what weight you want to achieve, the volume of your arms, legs, even the percentage of fat. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable within these frameworks.
3. Motivation. If it is absent or too weak, then obtaining a result is practically unattainable. About 50% of athletes quit training after a couple of months after starting, another 30% say goodbye to their aspirations for an ideal body after six months. Another 10% in a year. By simple mathematical calculations, you can understand that no more than 10% are ready to study for more than a year.
4. Gaps in knowledge. Many novice athletes do not have theoretical training, and this affects the fact that they do not understand how malnutrition, the anabolic process and metabolism work. Of course, the easiest way is to turn to specialists, and the trainer will create an ideal training scheme, and the nutritionist will select the right nutrition. If this is not possible, then you will have to study a lot of smart books before picking up dumbbells. But this is not enough: you need to be able to use the information received for the benefit of your own muscles. Don’t trust those “experts” who are ready to help you achieve results at the moment.
5. Lack of discipline. This is often the result of poor motivation. If a person does not know how to maintain a daily routine and systematically perform exercises, then achieving results is impossible. Planning comes first. Moreover, it is important to draw up a nutrition plan both on training days and during the rest of the period. Complete and regular rest: if the goal is to build muscle, then you can forget about nightly entertainment, as well as bad habits. The result should be put at the forefront. In order for it to be exactly like this, you can use a training diary, nutrition diary, it’s good if there is a calorie counter. It is important to weigh yourself systematically. Record all the food you eat and regulate your training on time.
6. Diseases. Sometimes the reason that muscles do not grow can be a disease. For example, those that are ways to reduce the secretion of anabolic hormones, such as testosterone, growth hormone, insulin. And also with increased formation of catabolic hormones, in particular cortisol. If all the requirements are met, but there is no result, it is better to analyze the main anabolic hormones.
7. Overtraining. Yes, it is a significant number of workouts that can lead to a lack of muscle growth. If after a couple of months of training you do not see results, you do not need to significantly increase the number of workouts and the load - in this case, the muscles will not have time to recover, which means they will not grow.

Whatever one may say, sooner or later every athlete is faced with a situation where the muscles simply stop growing. In addition, the longer the experience of regular training, the higher the risk of encountering this situation. That is why, most often, questions about why don't muscles grow asked by experienced athletes than by beginners. So what is the reason for the lack of progress and what to do if the muscles do not grow?

Why don't muscles grow?

There can be many reasons for the lack of muscle growth, as well as ways to solve this problem. However, most often muscle does not grow due to one or a combination of several reasons described below. Let's look at the main reasons why muscles don't grow.

No load progression

Load progression is the most important principle in natural bodybuilding. Without progression of the load, the body simply has no need to build muscle mass. After all, the growth of muscle mass and strength is essentially the body’s adaptation to the gradually increasing impact of training load. Accordingly, if you train without increasing the load, then there is simply no reason for your body to increase muscle mass.

Gradually progress the load by increasing the working weights, the number of approaches and repetitions of the exercises. You can also reduce the rest time between approaches and exercises, and so on. The main thing is not to try to apply all methods of load progression at the same time, otherwise you will get the opposite effect instead of stimulating muscle growth.

Lack of calories

As you know, muscle growth requires not only progression of the load, but also an excess of calories. That is, you should consume more calories every day than you burn during the day. Read more about how to eat right to gain muscle mass.

The question arises, how to find out your daily calorie intake? To do this, you can use a very simple formula:

Weight, kg * 30 kcal.

For example, if your weight is 80 kg, then your daily intake is approximately 2400 kcal. Now add to the resulting figure 500 kcal, which the body needs to increase weight. As a result, we get 2900 kcal - your daily calorie intake for weight gain.

Of course, all these calculations are very relative. They do not take into account the many individual characteristics of each person. Therefore, I recommend not counting every calorie, but focusing on the scale readings. Weigh yourself every week and adjust your diet based on what the scale shows.

Protein deficiency

In addition to the overall caloric content of the diet, a bodybuilder needs to ensure that his diet contains a sufficient amount of a variety of protein-rich foods. After all, protein is the main building material for our muscles.

How much protein should you consume per day? There are many opinions on this matter. Some recommend 3-5 grams per kg of body weight, others claim that a little more than 1 gram per kilogram of weight is enough. The truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.

Therefore, for muscle growth, I recommend consuming approximately 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Thus, if you weigh 80 kg, then you need to consume approximately 160 grams of protein per day to gain weight. At the same time, it is important that this protein comes from food of both animal and plant origin so that it is as complete as possible.

Not enough water

Sometimes progress in gaining weight and even losing weight has stalled only because a person does not drink enough clean water. Just think about it, we are 70% water! Without her participation, not a single process occurs in our body. Therefore, regardless of whether you are trying to lose weight or gain weight, you need to drink at least 2-3 liters of water per day.

Lack of sleep

When playing sports, it is very important to get enough sleep, because during sleep our body recovers after training and more. In addition, most of the anabolic hormones responsible for muscle growth are produced during sleep. So if you are constantly sleep deprived, then you will continue to question why your muscles aren't growing, even if you follow all the other rules for muscle growth.

Many people ask the question: how much sleep do you need per day? I recommend sleeping at least 8-9 hours. The main thing is to go to bed earlier, because the earlier you go to bed, the more valuable your sleep and the better sleep you get.

For example, if you always go to bed at 21.00, then you will wake up at 5-6 in the morning without any problems and feel great. At the same time, if you go to bed at 3 am, then you will hardly wake up at lunchtime, feeling exhausted.

The importance of physical activity for humans

Many centuries ago, people had to actively move to get food, build a home, make clothes, etc. Therefore, they say that our body is created for movement. In a developing organism, a cell stores more energy than it spends. This is the so-called energy rule of skeletal muscles. Therefore, one of the factors that causes and determines the growth and development of the body is the motor activity of muscles.

In early childhood, physical exercise contributes to the development of speech, and at school and university - the stability of mental performance and mental activity.

Movement is a condition for the development of a young organism, its health, character and attractiveness. Movement is closely related to the emotional state of the body. It relieves tension and affects hormonal phenomena. Muscle activity is constantly accompanied by emotional tension and “relieves” its excess. This is due to the fact that movement stimulates the production of hormones - endorphins and reduces excess adrenaline and hormones that contribute to stress.

Mastering the culture of movement will help develop the ability to “control oneself,” that is, maintain emotional balance, goodwill, and careful attitude towards the emotional state of another person in any situation.

The modern life of a schoolchild - studying at school, preparing homework, reading, watching TV - predisposes to a sedentary lifestyle. It turned out that for about 18 hours a day (including sleep) the teenager is in complete or relative immobility. He has only 6 hours left for outdoor games, walks, and sports. Lack of movement affects the general condition of the body: pressure often changes (it becomes high or low), bones become fragile, a person gets tired quickly, and mood changes dramatically. Lack of movement - physical inactivity, like overeating and smoking, causes the development of cardiovascular diseases.

A sedentary lifestyle, especially in youth, is not harmless. It leads to changes in the functions of all organ systems and diseases, especially the cardiovascular system. Active movement is a sign of a healthy lifestyle.

Low physical activity

Hypodynamia - reduced physical activity - is characteristic of modern urban civilization. Meanwhile, for a healthy person, systematic physical activity is necessary, starting from childhood and adolescence. Physical inactivity leads to detraining of regulatory mechanisms, a decrease in the functional capabilities of the musculoskeletal system, often to a decrease in performance and a weakening of the body's protective functions.

Insufficient physical activity is often combined with obesity. With little physical activity, the adaptability of the cardiovascular system even to light loads deteriorates. In physically inactive people, the heart rate is on average 10-20% higher than in physically active people. An increase in heart rate by 5-10 beats per minute leads to an additional number of contractions of 7-14 thousand in just one day. This additional work is performed constantly at rest, its volume increases sharply during physical activity. Studies have shown that people with high physical activity are 2 times less likely to have a myocardial infarction and 2-3 times less likely to die from it compared to physically inactive people.

Why does the human body need movement and physical activity so much?

Regular physical activity increases the performance of the heart muscle, creates the opportunity for the cardiovascular system to work in the most favorable mode, which is especially important during physical and nervous overload. Regular physical exercise promotes better blood supply to all organs and tissues, including the heart muscle itself. Constant physical activity helps train the mechanisms that regulate the coagulation and anticoagulation systems, which is a kind of prevention of blockage of blood vessels with blood clots - the leading cause of myocardial infarction; improves blood pressure regulation; prevents cardiac arrhythmias.

The computer has taken away a significant part of human physical activity. Photo: Bruno Cordioli

During physical activity in the skeletal muscles, which make up 30-40% of body weight, there is a sharp increase in energy consumption, which stimulates the activity of the cardiovascular system, trains the heart and blood vessels. By causing significant energy expenditure, regular physical activity helps normalize metabolism and helps offset the effects of excess nutrition. According to some authors, physical exercise and an active lifestyle can significantly (up to 50%) reduce the level of cardiovascular diseases.

In modern society, the level of physical activity of people has decreased significantly, as production and living conditions have changed dramatically. Over millions of years, people have adapted to heavy physical activity and periodic absence or shortage of food. Detraining and excess nutrition are the scourge of modern humanity. Who among us has not seen how young people wait for a long time for an elevator, instead of walking up one or two floors? Many people are ready to stand idle at public transport stops, but it never even occurs to them to walk several stops. The point here is not a lack of time, but at short distances with irregular transport operation there is often no gain in time.

Schoolchildren are prohibited from running during breaks. Many schools have introduced so-called removable shoes. It turns out that for the sake of cleanliness at school, children are deprived of the opportunity to run out into the school yard during recess, run, play, and physically relax. Teachers, of course, have made their lives somewhat easier, but do schools really exist for them?

Some parents consider a model child to be one who sits at home from morning to evening. If he spends a lot of time in the yard (on the street), he risks getting a scolding for soiled clothes and a bruise received in the game.

A normal, healthy child, as a rule, is restless and active; walking is not only a pleasure for him, but a physiological necessity. Unfortunately, parents often deprive their children of the opportunity to go out if they have problems with their studies. Naturally, such educational measures often lead to the opposite of what was expected. Instructions such as: “First do all your homework, and then go for a walk!” indicate that parents lack basic understanding of the hygiene of study and leisure. After all, before this, the child worked for 5-6 hours at school. The following fact cannot but cause concern: with age, a student’s physical activity decreases. Research conducted among Australian schoolchildren showed that at the age of 13, 46.5% of boys and 24.6% of girls are actively involved in sports, and at the age of 17, only 10.3 and 3.9%, respectively. Not very reassuring figures were obtained when examining our schoolchildren. They also show a decrease in physical activity as they get older, with some girls also experiencing a decline in their ability to tolerate physical activity. We often rely too much on physical education lessons at school or vocational school. Undoubtedly, the introduction of a physical education lesson or a physical education break is a good thing, but without daily physical activity, which is the true need of the body, it is unrealistic to expect significant changes in health. Sometimes you hear the following opinion: if a person does not want to play sports or increase his physical activity, one should not interfere with him, otherwise he will commit violence against himself and this will not lead to anything good. It seems to us that such a judgment is unconvincing. Too many people justify their inertia and laziness with such “valid” reasons as being overworked at work, the desire to relax after a hard day, watch TV, read a book, etc. Considering this situation normal is the same as justifying smoking, drinking alcohol, overeating, because low physical activity is also a bad habit. We do not advocate for everyone to participate in sports competitions and participate in sports clubs, although, undoubtedly, such a pastime could attract a much larger number of young people than is observed now. The desire of some parents to raise their children to be champions at any cost does not evoke sympathy. Big sport, involving increased physical activity, is not for everyone and is the lot of a few. We are talking about constant, moderate physical activity, taking into account the tastes and inclinations of everyone. It doesn’t matter if a young man doesn’t immediately find an attractive type of physical activity; it’s worse if he doesn’t even try to find it.

Unfortunately, there are often cases when parents strive to exempt their children even from physical education lessons at school, and doctors follow their lead and exempt the child from physical education lessons for a long time, even after a minor illness, thereby creating obstacles to rapid recovery and improvement of health.

How to deal with hypokinesia?

After you have made the decision to start a “new” life, it is advisable to get support from relatives and friends. Regardless of how you decide to increase your physical activity, it is advisable to make it a rule not to use the elevator or public transport over short distances. When going to work or school, leave home 10-15 minutes earlier and walk part of the distance.

Physical inactivity

One of the significant risk factors for the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system is physical inactivity. The level of physical activity these days has decreased not only among city dwellers, but also among residents of rural areas, which is associated with a decrease in the share of physical labor both in industry and in agriculture. Even summer vacations and trips out of town at the end of the week, many people prefer to spend in the car, limiting walking, skiing and cycling to a minimum. Statistical studies have shown that among people who spend more than 1 hour a day walking, coronary heart disease is 5 times less common compared to people who prefer transport to walking. There is also a clear relationship between the degree of physical inactivity and the possibility of developing hypertension. This is due to a number of reasons. First of all, during physical activity, blood circulation, the mechanisms of its regulation and adaptation to the constantly changing demands of the body in accordance with different environmental conditions are significantly improved. Therefore, the response to stress in more physically trained individuals occurs with a more economical expenditure of energy and with less activation of the sympathetic nervous system. It is also important that these people respond to emotional stress with a less significant increase in the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Consequently, constant moderate physical activity adapts a person to emotional stress. Moderate and constant muscle tension has a calming effect on the central nervous system, which is also an important factor in the prevention of hypertension and coronary heart disease.

During physical activity, the body's energy expenditure increases and appetite decreases (relative to energy expenditure), which prevents the development of obesity. An increase in physical activity with a parallel increase in energy consumption leads to an intensification of metabolism, promotes the utilization of fats and a decrease in cholesterol levels in the blood, which is one of the most important factors in the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Physical activity should be considered not only as the most important factor in preventing the development of heart and vascular diseases, but also as an essential part of complex therapy for patients with many cardiovascular diseases.

Useful tips

Movement should be fun. When choosing a time for physical education and sports, be creative: do it every day before school or immediately after returning home; team up with friends in sports, do exercises in any free time, force yourself to walk; When approaching the elevator, remember that there are stairs. Don't allow yourself to indulge in laziness.

Recently, exercise machines and gymnastic devices for individual use have become increasingly popular. These are exercise bikes, “health walls”, treadmills, massagers and mini-exercise devices with gaming elements. They allow you to exercise all year round, regardless of weather conditions.

A sedentary lifestyle, especially in youth, is not harmless. It leads to changes in the functions of all organ systems and diseases, especially the cardiovascular system. Active movement is a sign of a healthy lifestyle.

Most people from time to time experience such a weakened state of the body when it is difficult to move their arms and legs. But muscle weakness is not always a consequence of some disease. Sometimes a lack of energy manifests itself as a result of simple fatigue after prolonged physical labor, emotional fatigue, or too intense unusual training. It happens that muscle weakness occurs after intoxication of the body with viral or bacterial infections.

This article will discuss the main causes of muscle failure in adults and children. It is worth noting that pathological conditions in most cases are treatable, but they can also become an irreversible process.

Classification of muscle weakness

In medicine, there are three main types of weakened muscle conditions:

1. Primary weakness;
2. Fatigue;
3. Fatigue.

The first category includes pathological changes in motor tissues that occur after a stroke or due to muscular dystrophy. The patient cannot perform certain movements the first time; he has to make an effort to perform the necessary actions in several approaches. At the same time, regardless of the efforts made, the muscles cannot work with the strength that a person needs at the moment. This condition is not normal. With primary muscle weakness, the tissues appear drooping and their volume is reduced.

The second category is also called asthenia. When moving muscles, a person loses strength and becomes exhausted. But the motor tissues do not actually lose their ability to function, as in the first case. This condition is observed in people with chronic fatigue, who endure stressful situations, suffer from depression, heart disease or kidney disease. Muscle weakness develops because it takes longer to transfer energy in an exhausted body than in a healthy body.

The third category includes those pathologies in which the muscles work quickly and actively, but after a short period they get tired. A person needs more time to regain strength. This condition occurs with myasthenia gravis and dystrophic changes in motor fibers.

The three categories of muscle weakness may occur simultaneously or alternate with each other. Diagnosis of the cause of the disease is quite complex, but with a competent approach, specialists are able to determine the exact factor that causes certain types of dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system.

Causes of muscle weakness?

In most cases, pathologies of motor fibers are not the result of primary tissue damage. Basically, muscle weakness occurs due to the negative effects of the following reversible factors:

• Lack of physical activity;

Without proper load, muscle tissue can atrophy and be partially replaced by fat. If they are not used, then over time they weaken, become flabby and loose. Although the fibers themselves do not lose strength, due to the decrease in mass, they cannot contract as efficiently as before. Rapid fatigue occurs when performing any movements. But after regular exercise, this process is restored, and muscle fibers begin to work at full strength again.

• Senile changes;

As we age, muscle mass becomes smaller and tissues lose strength. But even in this case, everyone can maintain muscle tone by performing suitable exercises. You should not expect that in old age physical work can be done as quickly as in youth, because metabolism and energy transfer slow down noticeably.

• Infectious inflammations;

This is the most common reason why many people feel muscle weakness from time to time. Even after an illness, recovery lasts for several weeks. As a result of a long course of infection, chronic fatigue syndrome can develop. This often happens with the flu, Lyme disease, hepatitis C, sexually transmitted diseases, etc.

• Pregnancy;

After conceiving a child, many women experience fatigue. This is due to high hormone levels and iron deficiency. This muscle reaction is normal during this period of time, but to improve the condition, you can do special light exercises.

• Chronic diseases;

If a person develops pathological narrowing of blood vessels, then general muscle weakness appears from lack of blood circulation. Diabetes contributes to muscle dystrophy, since high sugar levels impair the functions of the musculoskeletal system. In addition, as the disease progresses, patients' innervation is disrupted, arteries are damaged, and heart failure can develop. All these manifestations do not provide the muscles with normal nutrition, as a result of which they weaken and lose their physical shape.

Due to pulmonary obstruction, oxygen consumption in the body decreases, which is noticeable when performing some kind of work. Over time, the disease can cause muscle atrophy. Impaired kidney function contributes to an imbalance of electrolytes and the accumulation of toxins. These factors influence the formation of primary muscle weakness.

Diseases of the central nervous system, such as depression and anxiety, always cause a weakening of muscle strength. And with an excessive amount of hormones that respond to pain, patients experience constant weakness, forcing them to save muscle energy. Due to discomfort, patients are worried about fatigue.

• Injuries;

After sprains, dislocations or damage to muscle tissue in the legs or arms, a person develops an inflammatory process accompanied by swelling. After this, patients become lethargic, and motor processes cause pain. The first symptoms of injury are pain and swelling, but then weakness may appear.

• Medicines;

Often, taking medications provokes muscle damage. If side effects are not noticed in time, the patient develops fatigue and even atrophy. Antibiotics, painkillers, statins, steroids, chemotherapy, interferons, and thyroid medications can have a negative effect.

• Bad habits;

Alcohol abuse, drug use and smoking have been shown to cause symptoms of muscle weakness. For example, smoking leads to the development of problems in the hands, and alcoholism contributes to poor coordination of movements in the legs.

Other causes of muscle atrophy or weakening include:

• Fibromyalgia (pain appears on palpation of tissues);
• Hypothyroidism (lack of hormones);
• Dehydration (salt imbalance, dehydration);
• Rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia, dermatomyositis;
• Oncological diseases;
• Muscle neuralgia;
• Multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Parkinson's.

General muscle weakness may develop gradually if it is the result of a long-term course of another disease. Or it can occur suddenly due to acute damage to nerve fibers, muscles, and vascular network.

Diagnosis and treatment of muscle weakness

To establish the cause that causes muscle weakness syndrome or mild malaise in a patient, clinical manifestations of pathological changes should be identified. The doctor will want to know when fatigue began to bother you and what the first symptoms of ailments were. Is the patient’s general condition worsening or, conversely, is there improvement? Is weakness associated with rapid weight loss or moving to another country? Did the person take any medications?

When examining a patient, a specialist determines dystrophy or decreased tone in specific muscles. It also clarifies whether the problem is real or suspected. By palpating the fibers, it can be noted whether there is tissue inflammation.

After this, the doctor checks the nerve conduction to the muscles. If necessary, studies the functioning of the nervous system and coordination of movements. Then he sends the patient for tests (hormones, electrolytes, etc.).

If after all the studies it is not possible to determine the exact cause, additional examination methods may be required:

1. CT/MRI;
2. Muscle biopsy.

Since there are so many causes of muscle weakness/motor tissue fatigue syndrome, treatment can be carried out by different specialists based on the true genesis. Treatment of diseases is carried out using a conservative or surgical method.

Muscle weakness is quite common in childhood. Typically, the baby's nerve signals are sent at a normal speed, but the muscle response is slower. Because of this, babies cannot hold their limbs or body position for a long time in a fixed state.

The reasons for this phenomenon are different:

• Down, Marfan, Prader-Willi syndromes;
• Rickets;
• Blood poisoning;
• Myasthenia;
• Botulism;
• Congenital hypothyroidism;
• Excess vitamin D;
• Muscle dystrophy, spinal atrophy;
• Adverse reactions to vaccines.

Regardless of the reason why children develop muscle weakness, their appearance will change. Therefore, even without the child’s complaints, specialists may notice problems associated with motor function.

Symptoms of muscle hypotonia occur as a result of damage to areas of the brain. With changes in the cerebellum, the child develops general muscle weakness. Very rarely, only certain groups of fibers are used. The first signs of pathology are:

• For support, children spread their arms and legs;
• They cannot hold their head straight, it throws back or falls towards the chest;
• When lifting the baby up, holding it under the armpits, the weakened muscles will not allow him to hang on the parents’ arms, they will slide down, involuntarily moving the forearms to the side and up;
• In a dream, the child will not bend his legs and arms at the joints; they relax, lying evenly along the body;
• Infants with muscle weakness syndrome experience a delay in physical activity, as a result of which they are unable to crawl, roll over, sit upright, stand, or hold objects.

Muscle hypotonia often leads to impaired mobility and poor posture. This is how children’s reflexes decrease and joints dislocate. With serious dysfunctions, the child has difficulty swallowing and chewing food. If this happens, a special feeding tube is installed for the babies. It is more difficult for children to learn to speak, despite the fact that their intelligence does not decrease. The speech apparatus cannot function normally due to dystrophy of the muscles of the respiratory system. As soon as parents notice symptoms of muscle hypotension, they need to contact a specialist to quickly begin treatment.

The disease is treated using physiotherapeutic procedures. The main course of treatment is prescribed only after the exact cause of muscle dysfunction has been established. It also depends on the age of the child and the degree of tissue damage. This task falls on several specialists: a neurologist, a physiotherapist, a speech therapist, an orthopedist, etc.

The main methods of treating childhood muscle hypotonia:

• Specially selected gymnastics;
• Physical procedures;
• Classes with a speech therapist to improve speech;
• Development of fine motor skills and coordination of movements;
• Selection of proper nutrition;
• Formation of posture and gait;
• Prescribing medications to improve muscle tone, relieve inflammation, etc.

It is important to note that even with such a diagnosis, children manage to restore muscle fiber function and make a full recovery. The main thing is to contact specialists as early as possible.