Tai Chi and Falls in the Elderly
July 20th, 2010
The Question:
Can 13 weeks of Tai Chi prevent falls in the elderly over a period of 12 months?
The Answer:
After 12 months, the risk of falls was not lower in the Tai Chi group.
The Study:
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.
Logghe IH, Zeeuwe PE, Verhagen AP, Wijnen-Sponselee RM, Willemsen SP, Bierma-Zeinstra SM, van Rossum E, Faber MJ, Koes BW.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2009 Jan.
-Could long term Tai Chi practice prevent falls in the elderly?
