I notice when people get a lot older, especially in nursing homes, a majority of them are wheelchair bound. My grandpa had a walker, my dad had a crutch. I’m not really sure of why though. It seems like older people always have canes, walkers or wheel chairs to get around. What goes wrong with your legs that doesn’t inhibit the arms?
In: Biology
Legs bear the weight of the body all the time when you are standing. This weight becomes larger as one grows from heavier. It gets even larger every time you run and land on your foot with the weight of the whole body on your foot one at a time each step.
Arms don’t have to do that. That’s why your legs are stronger than your arms. Do an inverse hand stand and Try “walking” a few steps on your hands. I bet it is not sustainable for most non-athletic persons. Compare that with the fact that walking for miles on a stretch is a normal thing for your feet and legs.
But all that years of beating takes its toll on the muscles of your legs. Especially, it is the knee joint which becomes the victim of the constant usage.
As a result, knees give away and the muscles sag in your legs. However, the requirement to bear the weight of the body has not gone away. This leads to the requirements of wheelchair.
Arms also get weaker in old age. But since you are not carrying anything all the time in your arms, this change is not evident.
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