By RYAN JASLOW Spaulding January 19, Research 5 min read. Get more HMS news here In the study, researchers showed that increased stiffening of the extracellular matrix — a network of proteins and other molecules that surround and support tissues in the body — led to a decrease in a so-called longevity protein called Klotho α-Klotho in knee cartilage, brought about by epigenetic changes, or how DNA is organized and regulated.

Harvard Medicine magazine delivered to your inbox. Subscribe to our free monthly e-letter. Examining the root cause of irreversible cartilage damage Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage in a joint stiffens and begins to break down, which then damages the underlying bone, resulting in pain, swelling, and feelings of stiffness.

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Experimental Gene Therapy Enables Hearing in Five Children Born Deaf January 25, Study co-led by HMS scientist corrects gene mutation involved in inner ear function. Minerals may deposit in and around some joints calcification. This is common around the shoulder. Hip and knee joints may begin to lose cartilage degenerative changes.

The finger joints lose cartilage and the bones thicken slightly. Finger joint changes, most often bony swelling called osteophytes, are more common in women. These changes may be inherited.

Lean body mass decreases. This decrease is partly caused by a loss of muscle tissue atrophy. The speed and amount of muscle changes seem to be caused by genes. Muscle changes often begin in the 20s in men and in the 40s in women.

Lipofuscin an age-related pigment and fat are deposited in muscle tissue. The muscle fibers shrink. Muscle tissue is replaced more slowly. Lost muscle tissue may be replaced with a tough fibrous tissue. This is most noticeable in the hands, which may look thin and bony. Muscles are less toned and less able to contract because of changes in the muscle tissue and normal aging changes in the nervous system.

Muscles may become rigid with age and may lose tone, even with regular exercise. Bones become more brittle and may break more easily. Overall height decreases, mainly because the trunk and spine shorten. Breakdown of the joints may lead to inflammation, pain, stiffness, and deformity.

Joint changes affect almost all older people. These changes range from minor stiffness to severe arthritis. The posture may become more stooped bent. The knees and hips may become more flexed.

The neck may tilt, and the shoulders may narrow while the pelvis becomes wider. Movement slows and may become limited. The walking pattern gait becomes slower and shorter. Walking may become unsteady, and there is less arm swinging.

Older people get tired more easily and have less energy. Osteoporosis is a common problem, especially for older women. Bones break more easily. Compression fractures of the vertebrae can cause pain and reduce mobility.

Muscle weakness contributes to fatigue, weakness, and reduced activity tolerance. Joint problems ranging from mild stiffness to debilitating arthritis osteoarthritis are very common.

The risk of injury increases because gait changes , instability, and loss of balance may lead to falls. Some older people have reduced reflexes. This is most often caused by changes in the muscles and tendons, rather than changes in the nerves.

Decreased knee jerk or ankle jerk reflexes can occur. Staying active makes your joints more resistant to degeneration. With exercise, muscles get stronger and cartilage gets thicker.

Stretching helps the ligaments and joints stay flexible. If you already have joint problems, exercise is the best way to alleviate the pain, maintain optimum mobility, and reduce inflammation. As a result, exercise puts a dent in progressive joint deterioration. We know that it can be difficult to begin or maintain an exercise program if you already have joint pain.

Gaining weight is one of the biggest risk factors for joint pain. For every 10 pounds of extra weight you have, the force on your knee increases by pounds with each step you take. As a result, the cartilage inside your weight-bearing joints breaks down more quickly, accelerating osteoarthritis.

Being overweight also leads to a boost in body-wide inflammation, including in your joints. This adds to your risk of problems because inflammation is directly responsible for joint pain. The good news is that losing weight lowers your risk of joint pain and osteoarthritis in proportion to the number of pounds dropped.

If degenerative changes have already occurred, losing weight substantially reduces your pain and may slow disease progression. The only way to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight is with a diet and exercise plan that works for you and your lifestyle.

If your only goal is weight loss, then the calories in your diet are the most important part of your plan.

Overall height decreases, mainly because the trunk and spine shorten. Breakdown of the joints may lead to inflammation, pain, stiffness, and deformity. Joint changes affect almost all older people. These changes range from minor stiffness to severe arthritis. The posture may become more stooped bent.

The knees and hips may become more flexed. The neck may tilt, and the shoulders may narrow while the pelvis becomes wider. Movement slows and may become limited.

The walking pattern gait becomes slower and shorter. Walking may become unsteady, and there is less arm swinging. Older people get tired more easily and have less energy. Osteoporosis is a common problem, especially for older women.

Bones break more easily. Compression fractures of the vertebrae can cause pain and reduce mobility. Muscle weakness contributes to fatigue, weakness, and reduced activity tolerance. Joint problems ranging from mild stiffness to debilitating arthritis osteoarthritis are very common.

The risk of injury increases because gait changes , instability, and loss of balance may lead to falls. Some older people have reduced reflexes. This is most often caused by changes in the muscles and tendons, rather than changes in the nerves.

Decreased knee jerk or ankle jerk reflexes can occur. Some changes, such as a positive Babinski reflex , are not a normal part of aging. Involuntary movements muscle tremors and fine movements called fasciculations are more common in the older people.

Older people who are not active may have weakness or abnormal sensations paresthesias. People who are unable to move on their own, or who do not stretch their muscles with exercise, may get muscle contractures.

Exercise is one of the best ways to slow or prevent problems with the muscles, joints, and bones. A moderate exercise program can help you maintain strength, balance, and flexibility. Exercise helps the bones stay strong. It is important to eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of calcium. Women need to be particularly careful to get enough calcium and vitamin D as they age.

Postmenopausal women and men over age 70 should take in 1, mg of calcium per day. Women and men over age 70 should get international units IU of vitamin D daily. If you have osteoporosis, talk to your provider about prescription treatments.

If you've ever watched an apartment or office building under construction, you've seen the metal scaffolding that keeps the building standing upright. Inside your body, bones are the scaffolding that keep you standing upright. As you get older, these supports can weaken. And if they get too weak, you could wind up with a fracture.

Let's talk about the bone-thinning condition called osteoporosis. Your internal scaffolding was built when you were young. Calcium and other minerals helped strengthen your bones, provided that you got enough of them from your diet.

As you get older, those minerals can start to leech out of your bones, leaving them brittle, fragile, and easily breakable, a condition known as osteoporosis. Women over 50 are especially at risk for osteoporosis because during menopause they lose estrogen, which helps to keep bones strong.

The tricky part about osteoporosis is that it's hard to tell you have it. You may not have any symptoms until you've already fractured a bone. Getting a bone density scan, which measures bone thickness, is one way to find out whether you have osteoporosis so you can start treatment right away if you need it.

To keep your bones strong, try to get at least 1, milligrams of calcium daily, paired with 1, international units of vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium. You can eat foods that are high in these nutrients, like frozen yogurt, salmon, and low-fat milk, or, if you're not a big fan of fish or dairy, you can take supplements.

Weight bearing exercise is also your ally when it comes to strengthening bones. A combination of weight bearing exercises like walking or playing tennis, plus strength training and balance exercises will reduce your risk of getting a fracture if you fall.

You will want to get at least thirty minutes of exercise three times a week to see the benefits. And, stop smoking. Cigarette smoke both accelerates bone loss and blocks treatments from being as affective. If you've been diagnosed with osteoporosis, your doctor may recommend drugs called bisphosphonates to prevent further bone damage.

Other medicines, including calcitonin, parathyroid hormone, and raloxifene are also treatment options. Don't let bone loss get so far along that you could have a disabling fracture from a minor fall. Start strengthening your bones with diet and exercise while you're still young.

As you get older, talk to your doctor about bone density scans, and ask whether you need to take medicine if you're at risk for, or are starting to show signs of osteoporosis.

And if your bones aren't as strong as they used to be, avoid falls by wearing shoes that fit well, and clearing clutter on the floor before it can trip you up, and bring you down. You used to take for granted that you could play a whole game of tennis or basketball without pain. But years of wear and tear have left their mark on your joints, and now your knees and hips hurt so much you can barely bend them.

The knees and hips may become more flexed. The neck may tilt, and the shoulders may narrow while the pelvis becomes wider. Movement slows and may become limited. The walking pattern gait becomes slower and shorter. Walking may become unsteady, and there is less arm swinging.

Older people get tired more easily and have less energy. Osteoporosis is a common problem, especially for older women. Bones break more easily. Compression fractures of the vertebrae can cause pain and reduce mobility.

Muscle weakness contributes to fatigue, weakness, and reduced activity tolerance. Joint problems ranging from mild stiffness to debilitating arthritis osteoarthritis are very common. The risk of injury increases because gait changes , instability, and loss of balance may lead to falls.

Some older people have reduced reflexes. This is most often caused by changes in the muscles and tendons, rather than changes in the nerves. Decreased knee jerk or ankle jerk reflexes can occur. Some changes, such as a positive Babinski reflex , are not a normal part of aging.

Involuntary movements muscle tremors and fine movements called fasciculations are more common in the older people. Older people who are not active may have weakness or abnormal sensations paresthesias.

People who are unable to move on their own, or who do not stretch their muscles with exercise, may get muscle contractures.

Exercise is one of the best ways to slow or prevent problems with the muscles, joints, and bones. A moderate exercise program can help you maintain strength, balance, and flexibility. Exercise helps the bones stay strong.

It is important to eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of calcium. Women need to be particularly careful to get enough calcium and vitamin D as they age. Postmenopausal women and men over age 70 should take in 1, mg of calcium per day.

Women and men over age 70 should get international units IU of vitamin D daily. If you have osteoporosis, talk to your provider about prescription treatments. Di Cesare PE, Haudenschild DR, Abramson SB, Samuels J. Pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzky GA, McInnes IB, O'Dell JR, eds.

Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Gregson CL. Bone and joint aging. In: Fillit HM, Rockwood K, Young J, eds. Brocklehurst's Textbook of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements website. Vitamin D: fact sheet for health professionals.

Updated August 12, Sanchez-Sotelo says most of his osteoarthritis patients are in their 60s when they go to see a health care professional with symptoms — achy and painful joints, stiffness, and loss of movement — that developed over time.

Sanchez-Sotelo says you can take steps when you are younger to protect your joints as you age. Having strong muscles around the joints can help take the load off the joints. However, people who exercise at high levels in sports, like football and bodybuilding, have higher risks of developing arthritis.

Maintaining a healthy weight is important, as obesity is hard on the joints. Glucosamine and chondroitin are popular supplements for joint pain, but lack convincing evidence that they work, Dr. We are not all destined for joint replacement.

There are some people in their 80s and 90s who have great joints. To interview Dr. Sanchez-Sotelo, please contact Rhoda Madson, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau mayo.