Review Article
Year: 2022 | Month: July-September | Volume: 7 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 191-199
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijshr.20220727
Biomechanics Specialization in Aging Science and Research: Biomechanical Gerontology or Geronto-Biomechanics?
R.Vinodh Rajkumar
Medical Anthropologist, Physiotherapist & Gerontologist, Director - Prabhanjeet Vitalityarium, Rajapalayam – 626117 Tamilnadu
ABSTRACT
Aging process becomes a miserable phase of lifespan of various individuals. Gerontology and Geriatrics exclusively deal with researching complex human ailments pertinent to old age in order to overcome the challenges posed by several irreversible physiological changes occurring with aging. Inevitably, homeostasis declines and massive allostasis gets organized during aging to destroy the functional independence and survival potential. Controlling the rate of aging process is the only possible self-regulating strategy available to each individual to enjoy Morbidity-Attenuated Life Years (MALYs) but maintaining an optimal fitness competence to travel along the healthy aging trajectory is not effortlessly feasible regardless of the socioeconomic conditions. Fitness evaluations on different age groups enhances the understanding that the aging process might be a premature event among several individuals at an early age itself due to multifactorial reasons, and the biomechanical constraints displayed by such individuals expose the probable wide spectrum of postural and movement dysfunctions or disabilities of unhealthy older adults. Many such health-ruining erroneous postures and movements remain asymptomatic perilously, which when addressed during appropriate stage in life, could repair the impaired physical efficiency to sustain the abilities to counteract the effects of gravitational force on the body. The importance of early detection and rectification of such peculiar biomechanical dysfunctions should become an integral part of public health prophylaxis. The repertoire of biomechanical dysfunctions of premature unhealthy aging needs to be strongly merged with gerontology to strengthen the pursuits to retard unsuccessful aging and accomplish successful aging.
Keywords: Biogerontology, Biomechanics, Ageing Trajectory, Compression of Morbidity, Polypharmacy, Comorbidities, Successful Aging, Unsuccessful Aging.