Age not just a number: Causes of joint stiffness differ between older and younger adults

(Shibaura Institute of Technology) As people age, joints become less flexible, causing balance problems that lower quality of life. Dr. Kosuke Hirata, Mr. Ryosuke Yamadera, and Prof. Ryota Akagi from the Shibaura Institute of Technology revealed that among younger adults, muscle but not nerve stiffness is associated with the ankle's range of motion (ROM), whereas only nerve stiffness is linked to ankle ROM among older adults. In other words, non-muscle tissue becomes more important for joint fle...