Background and Management of Muscular Atrophy

Book excerpt: A healthy skeletal musculature is necessary for a good quality of life and is important in sports. The loss of skeletal muscle mass leads to severe clinical complications and alters daily functioning. The aim of this book is to give an overview of skeletal muscle atrophy including pathomechanism, clinical characters, and the tools for prevention and treatment. Skeletal muscle atrophy can develop due to neurogenic or myogenic reasons, and frequently appears as an age-dependent disorder (sarcopenia). The studies of theoretical background give promising perspectives to prevent and treat muscle atrophy. The book is recommended to scientists, practitioners, students, sportsmen, and everybody who is interested in the normal and impaired function of the skeletal muscle.