Accessory muscles in respiration in older adults tend to

• A. Weaken
• B. Strengthen
• C. Remain the same
• D. Increase work of breathing

Answer: (A)

Age-related loss of muscle strength, known as sarcopenia, affects skeletal muscles throughout the body, including those involved in breathing. The accessory muscles used for additional effort during respiration—such as the neck and shoulder muscles that help lift the rib cage—tend to weaken with age. This reduces their ability to assist ventilation during exertion or respiratory stress, contributing to lower airway pressures and less effective coughing.

While it’s true that these muscles might be recruited more during acute respiratory distress, the typical aging pattern is a gradual weakening rather than an increase in function. Strengthening or increased activity of these muscles isn’t the normal trajectory of aging unless specific training or illness changes the picture.