Written by the Phoenix Rehab physiotherapy team.Clinically reviewed by Louise Yow, Principal Physiotherapist and Director, AHPC A1300363H.Last reviewed 4 October 2026.
Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass and strength that comes with age, to the point where it affects how you move: getting up from a low chair, carrying the shopping, walking to the bus stop. It speeds up after 60 and is a major reason older adults fall. A doctor diagnoses it. The main treatment is strength training, done often enough and heavy enough to count.
What are the signs of sarcopenia?
- Pushing up with your arms to get out of a chair, or rocking to get going.
- Jars and bottles that have become hard to open. A weaker grip is often the first measurable change.
- Walking more slowly, letting people pass you, needing the handrail on stairs.
- Getting tired faster doing the same housework.
- A fall, or a near miss, that shook your confidence.
How sarcopenia is measured
In Asia, doctors usually use the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria.1 They look at muscle strength, physical performance and muscle mass, which is needed for the diagnosis. The strength and performance tests are simple and repeatable, which is why we use them to track progress too.
| Test | What it measures | Low if |
|---|---|---|
| Grip strength | Squeezing a hand dynamometer | Under 28 kg for men, under 18 kg for women |
| Five chair stands | Standing up and sitting down five times, arms crossed | 12 seconds or longer |
| Walking speed | A timed six-meter walk | Slower than 1 meter per second |
A doctor diagnoses sarcopenia and checks for other causes of weakness, such as thyroid problems, diabetes, medicines or weight loss without a reason.
Can you build muscle after 80?
Yes. In a well-known study, frail nursing-home residents aged 86 to 96 who did eight weeks of heavy strength training gained substantial leg strength.2 Older muscle responds more slowly, and it needs a heavier stimulus than people expect. Walking is good for the heart. On its own, it does not build much leg strength.
What treatment for sarcopenia looks like
- Strength training. Two to three times a week, legs and arms, heavy enough that the last few repetitions are hard, built up as you get stronger.
- Balance training. Standing on one leg, stepping, turning, getting down to the floor and back up.
- Enough protein. Your doctor or a dietitian advises how much is right for you, especially with kidney disease or diabetes.
- Moving more through the day. Less sitting, more standing and walking.
Why light exercise is not enough
Light band exercises and “keep active” are a start. Three months later, getting out of the low sofa is often no easier. They are usually too light to build muscle, and without a measure there is no way to tell. Strength that is not tested is not trained; it is hoped for.
What we measure
- Grip. Measured on both hands, in kilograms.
- Legs. Five chair stands, timed, and leg strength on each side.
- Walking. Walking speed, and how you manage steps and curbs.
- Balance. Standing on one leg, and getting up from the floor.
Tested, not dated. The numbers decide each step up in load. Every appointment is one-to-one with your physiotherapist.
When to see a doctor first
- Call 995 for sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body, a drooping face or slurred speech.
- Go to the emergency department now after a fall with a head injury if you take blood thinners, or after a fall when you cannot stand or put weight on the leg.
- See a doctor soon for weight loss you cannot explain, weakness that is getting worse month by month, or more than one fall in a year.
Where are you with this right now?
1. You are keeping strong on your own
If you lift something heavy-ish twice a week, can stand from a chair without your hands and walk at a good pace, keep doing exactly that. You do not need us for this, and we would rather say so.
2. It is slipping
Your mother used to walk to the market. Now she takes a taxi, holds the wall on the way to the toilet at night, and needs two tries to get out of the sofa. The family says she is just getting old. Some of that is age. A lot of it is leg strength that can be measured today and trained, at any age, with the right load.
WhatsApp us · Get Assessed & Treated · One 45-minute appointment, $230, nett, no GST.
3. After a hospital stay, a fracture or surgery
A week in a hospital bed takes muscle quickly. After a hip fracture or a joint replacement, see hip fracture physiotherapy and physiotherapy after surgery. All of it runs on the four stages of the Phoenix Recovery Protocol.
Related reading
Sources: 1. Chen LK, Woo J, Assantachai P, et al. Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia: 2019 Consensus Update on Sarcopenia Diagnosis and Treatment. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2020;21(3):300-307. 2. Fiatarone MA, Marks EC, Ryan ND, Meredith CN, Lipsitz LA, Evans WJ. High-intensity strength training in nonagenarians: effects on skeletal muscle. JAMA. 1990;263(22):3029-3034.
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