ObjectiveThis guideline aims to address key challenges in the rehabilitation of sarcopenia in older adults in China, including the lack of standardized assessment systems, inconsistent intervention protocols, and insufficient multidisciplinary collaboration. Its goal is to promote the transformation toward an evidence-based, standardized, and individualized rehabilitation model, and to formulate a rehabilitation practice guideline tailored to the national context of China. MethodsThis guideline was initiated by the Chinese Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and West China Hospital of Sichuan University, and strictly followed the World Health Organization’s guideline development manual and the principles of clinical practice guideline development both domestically and internationally. A systematic search was conducted in relevant databases (from inception to November 30, 2025), and the PICO framework was used to structure clinical questions. Through a modified Delphi process, 23 core clinical questions were selected from 26 candidate questions. Methodological quality was assessed using internationally recognized tools, including the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, AMSTAR, and AGREE Ⅱ. The evidence grading system of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and the GRADE system were applied to evaluate the quality of evidence and determine the strength of recommendations. After two rounds of external expert consultation, recommendations were formulated using the Evidence-to-Decision framework, and the guideline was drafted and reported in accordance with the RIGHT statement. ResultsThis guideline addresses key areas in the rehabilitation of sarcopenia in older adults, including assessment, prevention, exercise interventions, nutritional support, rehabilitation technologies, and implementation strategies. It comprises 23 clinical questions and provides 58 recommendations, systematically integrating technical considerations for screening, assessment, and intervention, providing a scientific and operable practical basis for rehabilitation physicians, physiotherapists and relevant personnel. ConclusionThis guideline is expected to standardize the clinical practice of rehabilitation for sarcopenia in older adults in China, improve the quality of rehabilitation services, enhance functional outcomes and quality of life in patients, and alleviate the individual, familial, and societal burden associated with the disease.
