Objectives This study aimed to report a case of sarcopenia and gait disturbance in an elderly patient treated with Korean medicine, including Sasang constitutional medicine-based herbal prescriptions, acupuncture, and other integrative treatments.
Methods A 74-year-old female patient with significant lower limb weakness and gait disturbance was diagnosed with sarcopenia based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria. She underwent Korean medicine treatment for four months, including Sasang constitutional herbal medicine (Jowiseungcheong-tang), acupuncture, electroacupuncture, pharmacopuncture, moxibustion, cupping therapy, and chuna therapy. Physical function and daily activity levels were assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Korean Activities of Daily Living (K-ADL), and Korean Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (K-IADL) scales.
Results After treatment, the patient's SPPB score improved from 4 to 6 points, indicating enhanced physical function. K-ADL score improved from 13 to 9, and K-IADL score decreased from 25 to 13, suggesting improved daily living and independence.
Conclusion This case suggests that Korean medicine, particularly Sasang constitutional herbal prescriptions and multimodal interventions, may be beneficial for managing sarcopenia and gait disturbance. Further clinical studies are required to validate the effectiveness of Korean medicine for sarcopenia treatment.