Tag Archive for: medicine

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6 Reasons Your Muscles Are the Secret to Staying Young

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When most people think about anti-aging, they picture creams, supplements, or the latest medical breakthroughs.

But one of the most powerful tools for staying young is something you’re born with – your muscles. Everyone knows muscles are key for strength and appearance, but research shows they do far more than that. Muscles act like living medicine inside your body. Every time they contract, they send out chemical signals that influence your brain, heart, bones, and immune system. In fact, researchers now recognize that maintaining muscle may be one of the most effective ways to protect your health, preserve independence, and extend your life.

So – what exactly makes building muscle such a potent anti-aging secret?

Here are six important ways your muscles act like medicine:

1. Muscles Fight Inflammation

One of the hallmarks of aging is something scientists call “inflammaging” – chronic, low-grade inflammation that damages tissues and raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s. But here’s what’s fascinating… When your muscles contract during exercise, they release anti-inflammatory chemicals known as myokines. One of the best studied is interleukin-6 (IL-6). Unlike the IL-6 produced by fat tissue, which fuels inflammation – muscle-derived IL-6 helps regulate the immune system and suppress harmful inflammatory signals.

This helps explain why U.S. studies, such as the long-running Alameda County Study, have consistently shown that physically active adults live longer and age with fewer health problems. In other words – every time you use your muscles – you’re helping your body reverse damaging inflammation.

2. Muscles Stabilize Blood Sugar

Muscle is the largest site of glucose disposal in your body. The more muscle you have – and the more you use it – the more efficiently your body processes sugar. Resistance training improves insulin sensitivity, which means your muscles can absorb glucose from the bloodstream more effectively.

A 2024 meta-analysis found that structured resistance training reduced HbA1c, a long-term marker of blood sugar control, by about half a percentage point – an effect comparable to some common diabetes drugs. For millions of Americans at risk for diabetes, maintaining and building muscle is one of the most powerful ways to keep blood sugar steady and prevent disease.

3. Muscles Strengthen Bones

Strong muscles don’t just move your body – they help to strengthen bone. Every time muscles contract against bone, they stimulate bone growth and increase bone density. This is one of the most effective natural defenses against osteoporosis, a disease that affects more than 10 million Americans and dramatically raises fracture risk.

As we age, fractures can mean the loss of independence. But by strengthening muscles through regular resistance training – you also strengthen the bones they attach to – creating a double layer of protection.

4. Muscles Protect Your Brain

Healthy muscles send protective signals to your brain. As previously mentioned – when you exercise and contract muscles – they release myokines. In addition to IL-6, myokines such as irisin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) stimulate the growth of new neurons, strengthen existing connections, and improve brain plasticity.

The benefits are measurable. Studies of older American adults have shown that maintaining muscle strength later in life is associated with sharper memory, slower cognitive decline, and reduced risk of dementia. Exercise also boosts endorphins, which elevate mood and help combat depression and anxiety. Keeping your muscles active is one of the most reliable ways to keep both your body and mind young.

5. Muscles Support Heart Health

We often think of walking or jogging as the best ways to support cardiovascular health. But research now shows that strength training deserves equal credit. Resistance exercise improves circulation, reduces arterial stiffness, and lowers blood pressure.

In a massive U.S. study of more than 116,000 adults – those who consistently met or exceeded physical activity guidelines – including strength training – had up to a 31 percent lower risk of death from any cause – and up to a 38 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. These findings echo results from the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which showed that just 30 to 60 minutes of strength training per week reduced risk of chronic disease and early death. When it comes to your heart, strong muscles really are medicine.

6. Muscles Extend Longevity

Perhaps the most compelling evidence for the concept of “muscles are medicine” is its impact on survival. Studies consistently show that muscle mass and strength are stronger predictors of longevity than body weight or BMI. One U.S. study of college alumni found that those who maintained higher activity levels in midlife had significantly lower risks of heart disease and lived longer lives.

Muscle also serves as a critical protein reserve. When illness, surgery, or trauma strikes – your body draws on muscle stores to support healing, immune function, and tissue repair. People with greater muscle mass not only live longer but also recover more quickly when health challenges arise. Stronger muscles simply mean greater resilience.

The Bottom Line

Your muscles do far more than help you look fit or lift heavy things. They fight inflammation, regulate blood sugar, strengthen bones, protect your brain, support your heart, and extend your life. Best of all, you don’t need hours in the gym to see these benefits. Just 30 to 60 minutes of strength training per week, combined with regular movement, can produce profound results.

But if pain or injury is holding you back, don’t ignore it. The longer you wait, the harder it can be to bounce back – and the more you miss out on this natural anti-aging tool. If back, knee, hip, neck, or shoulder pain is keeping you from building muscle, talk to a physical therapy specialist who can help you return safely. With the right guidance, you can overcome those barriers and put your muscles to work – as they are your best-kept secret to staying young.

Looking for help and local to Portsmouth NH? Consider speaking to one of my specialists by clicking HERE.

Dr. Carrie Jose, Physical Therapy Specialist and Mechanical Pain Expert, owns CJ Physical Therapy & Pilates in Portsmouth, NH, and writes for Seacoast Media Group. If local to Portsmouth, NH, and looking for help, request a FREE Discovery Visit with one of her Specialists by CLICKING HERE.

Is running bad for your knees?

Movement is medicine (when prescribed properly)

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I have a confession to make. A few months ago I hurt my own back.

Yes, you read that correctly, the back pain expert injured her own back! I preach this ALL the time to my clients, but one of the reasons I’m so passionate about helping people with back problems is because the treatment is not cookie-cutter. But once we find what works for you, physical therapy is so effective and rewarding.

In my case, I was able to use very specific movements to get rid of my back pain, and then start focusing on strengthening exercises to keep it gone. Don’t get me wrong, there were moments when I wanted to call my doctor and ask him for pain pills, and even the idea of an injection crossed my mind once or twice. But because I keep up with the research, I know that pills and injections really don’t work well for long-term results. Aside from the many potential complications and side effects, quick-fix treatments tend to mask your pain and keep you from doing the real work that is necessary to keep the problem from recurring in the future.

At CJPT & Pilates, long-term solutions are the only thing we are interested in. We believe that movement is medicine.

For all musculoskeletal injuries, including back pain, the research shows that movement and exercise really is the best course of treatment in about 80% of all cases. OK, I know what you’re thinking. If it were that easy, why can’t you just go to the gym, to yoga, or follow an exercise video at home to get rid of your own back or knee pain?

It’s because although movement IS medicine, it only works when prescribed for you properly.

Let me explain.

I’m working with a gentleman right now who’s had back pain for over a year. It started after a car accident. He’s tried regular physical therapy, chiropractic, steroid injections and radiofrequency ablation. None of it worked. He feels good when he exercises and moves around, but the pain always comes back.

When he came to see us, the really interesting thing I noticed about his back was when he put himself in certain positions, he would stand up and literally be crooked. His spine would shift to one side, and become very painful and stiff. In the PT-world we call this a lateral shift, and it’s a sign that indicates he likely has a bulging disc. The great thing about a bulging disc is that they tend to respond very well to corrective movements. Once we know what movement “fixes” you, we can prescribe it to you. This gentleman can now make himself straight and get rid of his back pain in under a minute. Of course the goal is to get him to the point where he no longer needs this corrective movement, but for now, it quite literally is his medicine.

I think the reason more people don’t use this approach is because it requires a little bit of work, and you don’t often see the results immediately. When you get an injection, or even take a pill, the pain is gone in a few hours and it will often stay gone for a period of time without you really needing to do much. With movement, you have to stick with it and do it correctly for it to work. And although you can get an immediate reduction in pain from the correctly prescribed movement, it takes several weeks for it to start to stick and produce long-term relief.

But here’s the best part about using movement as medicine — it’s natural, there are no harmful side-effects, and you can do it completely on your own.

If you’ve been suffering in pain for awhile and tired of using pills or quick fixes to manage your pain, sign up for a FREE Discovery Session with us to find out if movement can be your medicine instead! You can also check out our free back pain guide right here.

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Steroid injections may do more harm than good, research shows

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Have you been told you need to get a cortisone injection? Have you already tried them more than once? 

Research is now showing that cortisone injections may hurt more than help in the long run! 

The results of a recent study from Radiology has raised concerns in the medical community about potentially adverse effects on joints following corticosteroid injections. These injections are commonly used to treat arthritis, especially osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. The researchers in this study observed patients who had previously received steroid injections and found that some of the patients exhibited further joint damage on medical imaging tests. According to the original article, these patients presented with “accelerated OA [osteoarthritis] progression, subchondral insufficiency fracture, complications of osteonecrosis, and rapid joint destruction, including bone loss.” 

The joint issues that can be triggered by cortisone injections don’t just show up right after the procedure — which makes it easy to see the steroid shot as a quick fix with no drawbacks.

And it’s true that there are usually no short-term side effects. However, when it comes to your joints, it’s all about the long game. And it’s worth noting that an analysis from the Cochrane Review in 2015 found that the benefits of steroid injections usually wear off after about six months…  meaning it’s a temporary “band-aid” solution to a bigger problem — a band-aid with the potential to result in permanent degradation of your joints!  

Arthritis is an issue we see all the time in our physical therapy practice, and that’s why patient and physician concerns with steroid injections are so relevant to us. Many of our clients have had injections suggested to them or have gone through with the procedure but not experienced any long-term healing. In many cases, this can be an overly simplified answer to the very complicated question of individual pain. Physical therapy, on the other hand, isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Our treatment model is entirely based around addressing the root cause of your pain instead of just providing temporary relief. Plus, we’re all about keeping your treatment non-invasive, movement-based, and entirely customized to YOU. 

If you’ve been told that you need a cortisone injection in your back, knee, or shoulder, think twice and get informed about other options!

If you’d like a NATURAL route to pain relief — and one that will make you more mobile and active at the same time — come talk with us! You can even schedule a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session with our Portsmouth, NH physical therapy specialists right now — no strings attached.