Two weeks flat: why even brief inactivity (in aging) hurts PMID: 29095970 Older muscles need movement! A 2018 study in overweight, prediabetic seniors showed that just 14 days of drastic step reduction (<1,000 steps/day) slashed muscle protein synthesis by ~25% and impaired glycemic control—and these changes didn’t bounce back after 2 weeks of normal activity. 🏃‍♂️ Real-world: Since conducting this work, I’ve advocated that clinicians program more mini–walk breaks, some resistive movements and more frequent PT visits into inpatient protocols—patients regain strength faster and feel steadier on their feet. They also return to normal activity faster! The norm should be prehab (if possible) AND rehab, and the recognition that hospital stays – due to muscle disuse – are always hard(er) for older patients to recover from, no matter why they’re in the hospital. For more reading: Muscle Disuse as a Pivotal Problem in Sarcopenia-related Muscle Loss and Dysfunction. J Frailty Aging, 2016;5...