Question :
Can Tai Chi be used for vestibular rehabilitation to remedy balance impairment caused by damage to the peripheral vestibular system?
Answer :
Tai Chi improves lower extremity motor control which results in a more vigorous gait and better trunk control.
Summary :
36 older adults (average age of 56.9 years) with vestibulopathy were randomized to either Tai Chi exercise or vestibular rehabilitation. Tai Chi was performed for 70 minutes (including 20 minutes of warm-up exercises), once per week, for 10 weeks. Five Tai Chi movements from Cheng Man-Ch’ing’s Yang-style short form were taught in this study.
Read more…
Medical Research
Balance, Vestibular Rehabilitation
Question :
Can Tai Chi improve proprioception at the ankle and knee joints and help with balance control in the elderly?
Answer :
Elderly people who practiced Tai Chi regularly had better proprioception at the ankle and knee joints compared to sedentary controls. They also had better proprioception at the ankle joint compared to swimmers and runners. Better proprioception may be helpful in maintaining balance control in the elderly.
Summary :
Ankle and knee joint kinaesthesis was measured in 21 elderly long term Tai Chi practitioners, 20 elderly long term swimmers/runners and 27 elderly sedentary controls. The Tai Chi group had an average age of 66.1 years and practiced Tai Chi for approximately 1.5 hours a day.
Read more…
Medical Research
Balance, Proprioception
Question :
Can Tai Chi improve balance control, flexibility and cardiorespiratory fitness?
Answer :
Compared to a sedentary group, the Tai Chi group had better scores for resting heart rate, 3 minute step test heart rate, balance (right and left leg standing with eyes closed) and flexibility.
Summary :
This study recruited 28 males over 65 years old who had been practicing the Yang Style of Tai Chi for at least 10 years.
Read more…
Medical Research
Aerobic capacity, Balance, Flexibility
Question :
Can Tai Chi Chuan improve balance?
Answer :
This study showed that Tai Chi can reduce the fear of falling.
Summary :
Seventy-two inactive, older subjects were randomly assigned to a computerized balance training group, a Tai Chi group, or an educational control group. Tai Chi consisting of 10 forms was performed for 1 hour, 2 times per week, for 15 weeks. Tai Chi reduced the fear of falling but did not improve balance compared to the computerized balance training group.
The Tai Chi intervention may not have been of sufficient duration. Also, the computerized balance training group was trained on the same apparatus with which all subjects in the study were tested; so familiarity could have improved the results in the computerized balance training group.
Read more…
Medical Research
Balance, Fear of falling
Question :
Can Tai Chi improve balance?
Answer :
Tai Chi improved balance as measured by a Computer Posturographic System.
Summary :
A randomized controlled trial where 25 men over the age of 60 with osteopenia or osteoporosis were randomly assigned to a Tai Chi exercise group. Tai Chi was performed for 45 minutes, twice a week, for 18 weeks.
Read more…
Medical Research
Balance, Osteoporosis
Question :
Can Tai Chi improve mobility, physical function, and the quality of life of adult diabetics?
Answer :
Walking speed and balance (static and dynamic) improved significantly in both the Tai Chi and the control group after 16 weeks. There was no improvement in muscle function, endurance capacity, cognition, or other measures of quality of life.
Summary :
Thirty-eight older adults (?50 years of age) with stable type 2 diabetes were randomized to Tai Chi or to sham exercise (calisthenics and gentle stretching). A modified 12 movement form of Tai Chi (‘Tai Chi for Diabetes’ by Dr. Lam) was performed for 1 hour, twice a week, for 16 weeks.
Read more…
Medical Research
Balance, Diabetes
Question :
Is Tai Chi effective in people with Parkinson’s disease? It is a movement disorder characterized by muscle rigidity, slow physical movement (bradykinesia), impaired balance, and tremor.
Answer :
There is insufficient evidence to suggest that Tai Chi is effective in Parkinson’s disease. One randomized controlled trial showed that Tai Chi may help in the prevention of falls.
Summary :
Seven studies were included in this review, three were randomized controlled trials (RCT).
In one RCT, Tai Chi was superior to conventional exercise for improving the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and for the prevention of falls. Another RCT comparing Tai Chi to Qigong, found no effect on locomotor ability. (Is Qigong a placebo?). The third RCT comparing Tai Chi to a wait list control, showed no effect on the UPDRS.
Read more…
Medical Research
Balance, Parkinson's disease
Question :
What are the physiological effects of tai chi, including its effect on aerobic exercise capacity?
Answer :
Tai Chi can be classified as a moderate intensity exercise with a maximal oxygen intake (VO2 max) of 55%.
Summary :
A review of 31 studies with a total of 2216 men and women.
The authors conclude that Tai Chi is beneficial to cardiorespiratory function, immune capacity, mental control, flexibility, balance control, muscle strength and reduces the risk of falls in the elderly.
Read more…
Medical Research
Aerobic capacity, Balance, Flexibility, Immunity, Mental health, Muscle strength
Question :
Can tai chi practice prevent falls in the elderly over a 12 month period?
Answer :
After 12 months, the risk of falls was not lower in the Tai Chi group.
Summary :
A randomized clinical trial where 269 elderly people were allocated to either Tai Chi training or to a control group receiving usual care. Tai Chi was performed for 1 hour, twice a week, for 13 weeks. The subjects where living at home and had an average age was 77.
Read more…
Medical Research
Balance, Falls
