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Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), originated from China, is different from Western medicine in theory and practice. This study aimed to document the longitudinal trends and the patterns by demographical characteristics in the prevalence of TCM among the middle-aged and elderly Chinese population. This study used nationally representative longitudinal survey data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), covering approximately 20,000 individuals in each panel survey from 2011 to 2018. The questions regarding medication use in the questionnaire was used to identify the TCM users. The prevalence of using TCM for treating chronic diseases among the patients with chronic diseases stabilized between 2011 and 2018, while the prevalence of TCM use for any purpose among the overall population climbed from 19.03% (95% CI 18.37% to 19.69%) in 2011 to 23.91% (95% CI 23.23% to 24.60%) in 2015. Moreover, the prevalence of TCM use for nonchronic conditions among the overall population increased during the same period as well. The TCM users were more likely to be females and city dwellers. The increasing prevalence of TCM use for any purpose among the overall population reflects the increasing influence and potentials of TCM by year. With the expected rising demand in TCM for the following decades in China, more clinical trials on safety and healthcare policy regarding TCM are merited in the future.

We retrospectively analyzed clinical results of 107 hands of an elderly idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome group (65 years old and older) and 234 hands of a younger group (under 65 years old) following endoscopic carpal canal release surgery. There were statistical differences in recovery rates for tingling, pain sensation and touch sensation (p < 0.01) and recovery periods of touch sensation (p < 0.05). There were no statistical differences in recovery rates, periods of thumb abduction muscle power, and recovery rates of electrophysiological examination results. Cervical spondylosis may affect postoperative recovery of subjective sensory disturbance, especially in the elderly group. From these results, in elderly patients we recommend primary minimally invasive endoscopic carpal canal release surgery and only apply primary opponoplasty in cases when the patient strongly wishes reconstruction faster than six months.

Purpose: Low back pain is a common issue among older adults, often attributed to weakened trunk muscles. Understanding the relationship between muscle mass and abdominal pressure can offer valuable insights for managing low back pain. This study aimed to explore the correlation of external abdominal pressure using a novel device with abdominal muscle mass and low back pain.

Methods: Elderly individuals over the age of sixty-five were recruited. External abdominal pressure was measured using RECORE, while muscle mass and thickness were assessed via impedance measurement and ultrasound. The presence of low back pain was also investigated.

Results: Correlation analysis showed a weak correlation between abdominal pressure and trunk muscle mass, as well as a weak correlation with the thickness of deep muscles, transversus abdominis ($r$ = 0.37) and internal oblique ($r$ = 0.33). Logistic analysis demonstrated a significant association between abdominal pressure and the presence of low back pain.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that abdominal pressure is weakly linked to abdominal muscle size, particularly the deep muscles, and that measuring external abdominal pressure can provide insights into abdominal muscle function and low back pain in older adults.

Background: The impact of residential setting on the performance of older adults on commonly used instruments of mobility has not been closely investigated.

Objective: This study aimed to (1) explore whether mobility test performance differed between those who lived in urban and rural communities, and (2) report preliminary reference values for these tests according to residential setting.

Methods: The study used a descriptive design. Individuals who were aged 60 years and above, had no significant disability, and resided in urban and rural areas in the Philippines ($n=180$), participated in the study. Researchers measured mobility performance using the 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT) (both comfortable gait velocity (CGV) and fast gait velocity (FGV)), Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSST), and Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT). Preliminary reference values for the mobility tests were presented as means, standard deviations, and 95% confidence intervals. Scores were compared based on residential setting (urban versus rural).

Results: Urban-dwellers scored consistently better compared to their rural counterparts on the CGV, FGV, FTSST, and 6MWT using independent samples $t$-test ($p<0.001$). Data were further divided according to age and sex, and comparison of the mobility test scores between urban- and rural-dwellers within each subgroup showed similar differences ($p<0.01$).

Conclusion: Results provide preliminary evidence for the influence of residential setting on the mobility test performance of Filipino older adults. The study provides a good starting point for confirmatory research with a representative sample to (1) illustrate differences in mobility performance according to residential setting, (2) investigate how specific factors associated with residential settings contribute to differences in mobility performance, and (3) determine the extent to which clinicians should consider an older person’s residential setting when interpreting mobility test results.