Musculoskeletal System

Question 1

Is the following statement true or false? Changes in muscle mass and muscle strength occur at the same rate as people age.

Answer 1

It’s false. Although both muscle mass and muscle strength decrease with age, there is no linear relationship between the changes.

Question 2

Is the following statement true or false. A short-term reduction in the number of daily steps has little impact on function.

Answer 2

It’s false. Although bed rest has the most severe effects on muscle function, simply decreasing the number of daily steps for a couple of weeks will have an adverse effect on muscle function.

Question 3

Is the following statement true or false? Sarcopaenia is a decrease in muscle mass and function.

Answer 3

It’s true. Sarcopenia is a decrease in both muscle mass and function. It’s the functional part of the definition that is most important-a loss of muscle mass that wasn’t associated with dysfunction would not be considered Sarcopenia.

Question 4

Is the following statement true or false? Sarcopaenia is more pronounced in the lower limbs.

Answer 4

It’s true. Sarcopenia is more pronounced in the lower limbs.

Question 5

Is the following statement true or false? Loss of contractile tissue is a normal change due to ageing.

Answer 5

It’s true. As we would expect there is a loss of contractile tissue with ageing. This loss of contractile tissue can be due to age-related changes in the muscle itself, due to age-related changes in other systems (such as changes in the motor nerves innovating the muscle), various diseases in the muscle or other body systems, lifestyle choices and the effects of medications.

Question 6

Is the following statement true or false? Changes in muscle mass and muscle strength occur at the same rate as people age.

Answer 6

It’s false. Although both muscle mass and muscle strength decrease with age, there is no linear relationship between the changes.

Question 7

Is the following statement true or false. A short-term reduction in the number of daily steps has little impact on function.

Answer 7

It’s false. Although bed rest has the most severe effects on muscle function, simply decreasing the number of daily steps for a couple of weeks will have an adverse effect on muscle function.

Question 8

Is the following statement true or false? Sarcopaenia is a decrease in muscle mass and function.

Answer 8

It’s true. Sarcopenia is a decrease in both muscle mass and function. It’s the functional part of the definition that is most important-a loss of muscle mass that wasn’t associated with dysfunction would not be considered Sarcopenia.

Question 9

Is the following statement true or false? Sarcopaenia is more pronounced in the lower limbs.

Answer 9

It’s true. Sarcopenia is more pronounced in the lower limbs.

Question 10

Is the following statement true or false? Loss of contractile tissue is a normal change due to ageing.

Answer 10

It’s true. As we would expect there is a loss of contractile tissue with ageing. This loss of contractile tissue can be due to age-related changes in the muscle itself, due to age-related changes in other systems (such as changes in the motor nerves innovating the muscle), various diseases in the muscle or other body systems, lifestyle choices and the effects of medications.

Question 11

Is the following statement true or false? All muscle fibre types are similarly affected by ageing.

Answer 11

It’s false. Type II fibres are more affected than type I fibres. This reduces the ability of older people to produce powerful muscle contractions and contributes to the risk of falling.

Question 12

Is the following statement true or false? People with osteoporosis experienced fractures following relatively minor injuries (these are known as low-impact fractures).

Answer 12

It’s true. Low impact fractures are one of the early signs of osteoporosis, especially fractures in the distal radius which can occur in relatively young women as the result of a minor fall.

Question 13

Is the following statement true or false? Low-impact fractures are often the first sign that someone has osteoporosis.

Answer 13

It’s true.

Question 14

Is the following statement true or false? Men rarely develop osteoporosis.

Answer 14

It’s false. Men do not develop postmenopausal osteoporosis but they frequently develop senile osteoporosis. Currently in Australia about 2 men have osteoporosis for every 5 women with the condition.

Question 15

Is the following statement true or false? Senile osteoporosis occurs in women around the age of menopause.

Answer 15

It’s false. Postmenopausal osteoporosis occurs in women around the age of menopause. Senile osteoporosis occurs in both men and women at a later age.

Question 16

Is the following statement true or false? Hip fractures associated with osteoporosis usually occur at an older age than wrist fractures.

Answer 16

It’s true. Wrist fractures often occur in women in their 50s who are developing oste a roses whereas hip fractures normally occur later-from about the age of 70.

Question 17

Is the following statement true or false? Most cases of osteoporosis go undiagnosed.

Answer 17

It’s true. Most cases of osteoporosis going diagnosed.

Question 18

How does the use of HRT differ from the use of bisphosphonates in osteoporosis patients?

Answer 18

HRT is used at the time of menopause to prevent the development of osteoporosis. It has many beneficial effects on the symptoms of menopause and quality of life in addition to its effects on bone strength. Bisphosphonates are a treatment that are used in people who have established osteoporosis.

Question 19

Is the following statement true or false? Vitamin D deficiency appears to play a role in the development of senile osteoporosis.

Answer 19

It’s true. Vitamin D appears play a role in the development of senile osteoporosis. Endocrine changes resulting in decreasing anabolic hormones also appear to be important.

Question 20

Is the following statement true or false? Osteoporosis is diagnosed when a patient’s bone mineral density is more than 2.5 standard deviations below the mean for young women.

Answer 20

It’s true. The diagnosis of osteoporosis in older women is based on a comparison of the bone mineral density with younger women.

Question 21

What would you advise a 20-year-old woman to do to minimise her risk of developing postmenopausal osteoporosis?

Answer 21

A 20-year-old woman would need to think about preventing osteoporosis right now. She needs to maximise her peak bone mineral density by doing plenty of weight-bearing exercise and making sure the diet is adequate. She will need to continue the strategies throughout the rest of her life. Around the age of menopause she should think about hormone replacement therapy which will help to maintain bone mass and have other quality-of-life benefits. If these strategies failed and she developed osteoporosis after menopause she could be treated with bisphosphonates or monoclonal antibodies.