Tai Chi Chuan can improve balance and reduce fear of falling in community dwelling older adults: a randomized control trial

Abstract

Fear of falling and balance impairment are prevalent in older adults and cause major morbidities for this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Tai Chi Chuan on balance and fear of falling in community-dwelling older adults. This study was a single-blind randomized control trial. Sixty older adults were randomly allocated into two groups using a 4-cell random block design. The participants of intervention group were trained in Tai Chi Chuan for eight weeks, twice a week, and 55 min in each session. Balance and fear of falling were assessed by Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Tinetti test and Falls Efficacy Scale International in baseline and after 8 weeks. After eight weeks of intervention, the mean scores of the TUG and Tinetti scales in the intervention group were improved significantly compared to the baseline and the control group (P<0.001). Moreover, the intervention group showed a significant reduction in fear of falling scores (P<0.001), while those in the control group remained unchanged. Tai Chi Chuan effectively improves the balance and fear of falling and could be considered as a practical and useful method for fall prevention in community-dwelling older adults.

Physical Exercise to Improve the Balance of the Elderly with the Risk of Falling: a Literature Review

“…It is because participants and researchers distinguish their group allocations, and the generalization of findings is limited. Participants are limited to the elderly who live in one condition and they are influenced by their cultural environment, economic situation, and social settings (Hosseini et al, 2018). In research with Visual Feed Back intervention, it shows that recruitment of research subjects based on reported balance problems may result bias sample.…”

“…However, several studies show that 12 months of practicing Tai Chi Chuan does not change the risk of falling in elderly who live at home. Tai Chi Chuan remains controversial, therefore further studies are needed to explain the benefits of the Tai Chi Chuan program in the elderly (Hosseini et al, 2018). Special training programs for the elderly are needed.…”

“…From 6 reviewed journals, 4 research journals states that the number women elderly respondents are more than men elderly respondents in 32 types of physical visual feedback exercise from 38 respondents (Anson et al, 2018). Whole body fibration are 25 of 45 respondents (Tseng et al, 2016), Tai Chi Chuan are 33 of 60 respondents (Hosseini et al, 2018), Telepresence exercise are 34 of 34 respondents (Hong et al, 2018). A journal mentions the number of respondents of 126 elderly but it does not explain their gender specifications in physical exercise Balance focused exercise (Zhao et al, 2017), then another journal explains the same number of female and male respondents, namely 20 respondents in Resistive exercise Therapy (Yousefian Molla et al, 2017).…”

“…This movement emphasizes joint rotation, coordination, and gradual narrowing of the position of the lower extremities. Tai Chi Chuan exercises are characterized by balancing body, mind, breathing and emotions and making the muscles of the body flexible and vibrant (Hosseini et al, 2018). 5.…”

“…Overall, four weeks of training with trunk motion VFB on a running treadmill results in a significant increase in balance and mobility as measured by the BEST and mBEST. (Hosseini et al, 2018) reveals that Tai Chi Chuan effectively improves balance and fear will fall and it can be considered a practical and useful method for prevention of falls in the elderly who live in the community. Tai chi chuan exercises can improve the balance of the elderly who live in the community.…”