• Less physical activity due to social distancing measures
• Inactivity is bad for muscles
• Advice: prescribe strength training at home to all elderly people

Social distancing measures that have been implemented to constrain COVID-19 have a serious side effect: people move less, which has negative consequences. This is even more pronounced in the elderly, who are already less physically active. Due to loss of muscle mass and strength they are at higher risk for sarcopenia, frailty, and metabolic abnormalities, which cause their health to decline and can possibly lead to earlier death. To ‘medicate’ this issue, doctors should prescribe weight training that can be implemented at home, according to the authors of this editorial.