Which statement describes lung elastic recoil in aging?

• A. It decreases
• B. It increases
• C. It remains the same
• D. It fluctuates unpredictably

Answer: (A)

Elastic recoil is the lung’s tendency to snap back to its resting size after inhalation, driven by elastic fibers in the lung tissue. As people age, structural changes occur in the lung parenchyma—loss or fragmentation of elastic fibers and subtle remodeling of alveolar walls—so the lungs don’t spring back as forcefully. This makes the lungs more compliant overall, meaning they expand more easily but don’t recoil quickly during expiration.

The practical effect of reduced elastic recoil is slower, less efficient exhalation and more air remaining in the lungs after a breath (increased residual volume and potential air trapping). Chest wall changes with age can add breathing difficulty, but the core change in the lungs themselves is a decline in elastic recoil.