Influence of long-term tai-chi chuan training on standing balance in the elderly

摘要

Tai-Chi Chuan (TCC) is thought to be a low-impact and effective exercise to improve balance capability in the elderly. However, the effects of TCC exercise on balance improvement remain controversial. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of long-term Yang-Style TCC training on balance variables such as stable standing time and center of pressure (COP) movement patterns. Fifteen long-term Yang-Style TCC practitioners and fifteen age-matched adults performed different static balance tests each for 30 seconds. For each test, the time-varying COP positions were measured by two forceplates. The sway area of the COP was described by an equivalent ellipse, the two principal axes of which were obtained by using principal component analysis. The results showed that elderly subjects with long-term Yang-Style TCC training were able to maintain stable standing longer than those without TCC training, with reduced COP sway area during challenging tasks such as single-leg stance and tandem stance. It is suggested that long-term TCC exercise is a good choice in a training program aimed at reducing the risk of falling in the elderly.