Final answer:
Immobility can cause several significant health complications, including blood clots, respiratory failure, pneumonia, pressure sores, urinary tract infections, and muscle atrophy. Arthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases exacerbated by malnutrition further impair mobility. Severe cases may lead to acute health issues and potentially life-threatening conditions such as sepsis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Immobility can lead to multiple health complications, primarily when associated with the elderly or those with existing conditions. For example, immobility during the healing process of a hip fracture can result in serious challenges such as the development of blood clots. These clots have the potential to travel to the lungs causing respiratory failure. Additionally, due to inadequate air exchange, pneumonia can develop, which is particularly threatening for the immobile. Another concern includes the formation of pressure sores, also known as bed sores, that create opportunities for infections to enter the body. Urinary tract infections are a risk as well, particularly in the case of long-term catheterization.
Physical complications are not limited to these conditions, as immobility can also lead to muscle atrophy and weakening due to disuse, as seen in prolonged bed rest or space flight situations. This atrophy is characterized by a reduction both in the number and size of muscle cells and is accompanied by diminished protein content. Malnutrition, which is the major cause of musculoskeletal diseases worldwide, compounds these risks, negatively affecting both bones and muscles. Diseases like arthritis, also severely restrict movement and in turn, can lead to further immobility.
In the worst cases, severe complications from immobility can include acute issues such as back pain, fever, and even life-threatening conditions like sepsis which can result when infections become severe.