Does practicing tai chi chuan make a difference for postural balance in the elderly? A pilot study

Abstract

Balance plays an important role in the daily lives of elderly people to prevent them from falls and injuries. A suitable exercise to improve balance is Tai Chi Chuan. The purpose of this study was to analyze balance control in Tai Chi Chuan practitioners and compare it with non-practising active elderly people. ›Ten Tai Chi Chuan practitioners, mean age 70.1±4, (5 women and 5 men) were willing to participate in this study. Twelve elderly with a mean age of 71.9±5 years, served as the control group. An oscillating suspended platform (Posturomed) was used to measure the horizontal movements in two orthogonal directions using a small ultrasonic marker (Microswing). The measured displacements in the two directions, anterior-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML), were used to establish a balance index. The total sway line g can be divided into the x-and y-component (ML and AP sway). Four different stances were analyzed to evaluate balance ability: shoulder-wide stance with eyes open and closed, legs together, semitandem and tandem stance. › An independent t-test was used to compare the groups. The Tai Chi Chuan group showed a significantly (p=0.04) better balance control in the ML direction in the shoulder-wide stance with eyes closed than the control group. ›In summary, practicing Tai Chi Chuan may have a positive influence on balance control when vision is obstructed and balance has to rely on the vestibular system.