88-Year-Old Man Walks with Flying Feet under Chinese Medicine Support
Taipei City Hospital, Zhongxing Branch Department of Chinese medicine Attending Physician Dr. Lin Tsai-yu has pointed out that symptoms of bilateral limb weakness in the elderly are known in Chinese medicine as “flaccidity syndrome”. The pathological changes are found at the fascia and muscles. This is mostly related to the “spleen”. According to the Chinese medicine theory, “spleen governing muscles” are considered most closely related to the “spleen”. The “Spleen”, in terms of Chinese medicine, is the “digestive system”. A fully functional spleen allows the food to be completely absorbed by the digestive tract and metabolized into nutrients to be transported to other organs in the body, as well as allowing whole body muscle movements. In other words, the body is dependent on the “spleen” to provide the driving force. If the “spleen” functions well, then the muscles will be bulky and strong with powerful limbs. If the “spleen” functions poorly, then the muscles will be thin with weak limbs.
Lin Tsai-yu recommended that adequate nutrition and sufficient exercise can help prevent elderly bilateral leg weakness:
Resistance training: dumbbell and elastic bands.