Why do many elderly people lose the ability to walk?

Question

So many are relegated to using walkers or wheelchairs. "Old age" is just a broad general answer. Specifically, why do they lose the ability to walk?

Answer 1

That's a good question. One answer that covers a large percentage of ambulatory dysfunction is cerebellar atrophy. As the brain ages, tiny vessels supplying blood to the brain are blocked or burst. On a CT of the brain, this would often be called "age appropriate white matter changes" or "chronic small vessel ischemia". This is a result of cholesterol, hypertension, high blood sugar, and other factors that take their toll on the blood vessels of the body over time. When this occurs in the cerebellum, the area grossly responsible for gait, the result is a gradual decline in the ability to walk safely.
Other factors in ambulatory dysfunction include peripheral neuropathy (especially present in diabetics) which decreases one's feelinging in the feet, osteoarthritis (basically just wearing down of the articular surface of the joints, often causing pain), and osteoporosis which often leads to kyphosis- where one walks in a hunched over position.

Cardiac problems often cause people to become short of breath with exertion (dypsnea), and so they walk slower.

Someone with good genetics and a healthy lifestyle might walk normally until the day they die...but that's not most of us.

Answer 2

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RE:
Why do many elderly people lose the ability to walk?
So many are relegated to using walkers or wheelchairs. "Old age" is just a broad general answer. Specifically, why do they lose the ability to walk?

Answer 3

I'm Guessing That There Bones Are Getting Weaker From Living Such A Long Time. Hope I Helped.

Answer 4

Some people break bones, get arthritis in joints which even if they get surgery can cause a lot of pain. The more you don't move, the more likely you won't be able to move. Some people give up hope or are so uncomfortable they won't move which then makes this a permanent situation.

Answer 5

Lots of reasons. Could be a lack of balance, could be joints that degenerate and make walking painful or difficult. As bones become brittle they break more easily - combine that with lack of balance or having small strokes and the lack of muscle tone... it all contributes.

Answer 6

A great story about a Lucky Lady. Sola

Answer 7

Loss of strength, severe weakness. Sometimes their joint degenerate and they can't move them as well. Fatigue, not enough energy. Fraility. In other words, old age :)

Answer 8

For that they have already walked for so so long their bones are already so much more weaker then others. Hope I helped

Answer 9

because they get tired and they get arthritis wich makes it hard for them to walk and they may have other diseases its just how we some times get when we get old

Answer 10

90% of them at a certain point.