Many people believe that when regular physical activity stops, muscle mass is the first thing a person loses. But physiotherapist and rehabilitation specialist Vladimir Karasenko explains that the body gives way in a different order, according to infohub.kz.
According to the specialist, the first thing to go is not strength, but balance and coordination.
"The stabilizer muscles — the ones that hold you upright — 'fall asleep' fastest. They are the first to stop receiving signals from the brain because you have stopped using them," he explains.
The rehabilitation specialist notes that after just three to four days without movement, a person notices that standing on one leg has become harder. After two weeks, it is more difficult to get up from a chair without support. And if you close your eyes and try to stand on one leg for a few seconds, you may even fall.
The second thing the body loses without movement is joint mobility.
"If a person does not move, synovial fluid is not produced and the cartilage receives no nourishment. The joints become stiff. The hips and ankles suffer especially, because we hardly use their mobility in everyday life," the doctor explains.
The third is leg muscle strength. The glutes and thighs are the first to lose tone. And after a month without movement, squatting down and standing up without using your hands becomes a real problem.
Why this matters
"If you lose your balance, you fall. If you lose your mobility, you cannot bend over. If you lose leg strength, you cannot stand up," the rehabilitation specialist explains.
According to him, the body does not lose muscles — it loses the ability to move freely. And this happens faster than you think.
Karasenko previously stressed that blaming age for joint and muscle pain is a dangerous misconception.