The Effectiveness of Tai Chi on Improving Balance in Older Adults: An Evidence-based Review

Komagata, Sachiko; Newton, Roberta A.

doi:10.1519/00139143-200308000-00002

Cited by 18 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…The historical perspective provided by examining previous reviews substantiates the conclusion about TC efficacy and [4,14,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23], including more than 4,000 participants in 72 trials. Twenty were randomized controlled trials and 50 nonrandomized trials.…”

Section: Overview Of Previous Reviewsmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Results from balance and postural control studies showed moderate evidence concerning the efficacy of TC on reduction in falls and improving postural control. Nevertheless, a significant reduction in fear of falling and an overall functional improvement were found [18,20,22]. On the other hand, none of the studies reviewed in these reviews assessed the effects of TC on institutionalized elders with or without cognitive impairments.…”

Section: Overview Of Previous Reviewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Tai Chi exercises on self-efficacy and psychological health

Dechamps

Lafont

Bourdel-Marchasson

2007

Eur Rev Aging Phys Act

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This review offers an update of the psychological effects of Tai Chi Chuan (TC) among different populations. A computerized literature research from 1990 to June 2006 was carried out. Studies were selected when they assessed the mental and psychological effects of TC practice among various populations. Data from 14 studies for a total of 829 subjects, age range from 12 to 96 years, were considered here. There were eight randomized controlled trials and six quasi-experimental or case control studies in this review. The intensity of TC varied from 30 min twice a week over a 5-week period to 1 h every day over an 8-week period. TC was characterized as a kind of light-to-moderate exercise and was found to enhance overall psychological well-being and to improve self-efficacy and mood. TC benefits appeared to be more tangible for adults and healthy older adults or those becoming frail. However, TC did not appear to be more efficient than exercises of the same intensity. Extensive and qualitative studies are needed to quantify the effects of the volume of practice, expert modeling, gender differences, and the age-related learning process on efficacy cognitions and mood in clinical and nonclinical contexts.

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Section: Overview Of Previous Reviewsmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Overview Of Previous Reviewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Tai Chi exercises on self-efficacy and psychological health

Dechamps

Lafont

Bourdel-Marchasson

2007

Eur Rev Aging Phys Act

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“…Komagata and Newton, 53 who, in reviewing 11 studies, found moderate evidence to support the effectiveness of Tai Chi on balance improvement, also concluded that Tai Chi is not effective for reducing number of falls. Several of these reviews 5,22,44,48,53 based their conclusions regarding the effectiveness of Tai Chi in reducing falls on the results of only one study, 28 which directly measured falls and found an almost 50% reduction in the rate of falls in the Tai Chi group. Although considered to be of high methodological quality when scored by the Delphi List, the overall effectiveness of an intervention in reducing incidence of falls, such an important area of healthcare, cannot reliably and validly be based on the results of this one study.…”

Section: Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review to determine the effectiveness of Tai Chi in reducing falls and fear of falling in older adults

Harling¹,

Simpson²

2008

Physical Therapy Reviews

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Approximately 30% of elderly community dwellers fall each year. A large number of exercisebased interventions have been designed to reduce fall incidence, the movement therapy of Tai Chi being used increasingly. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the current literature surrounding the effectiveness of Tai Chi in reducing the incidence of and fear of falling in older people. A computerised literature search of Medline, AMED, CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, PEDro and Scirus was performed. Only randomised controlled trials, with a study population aged over 60 years, investigating Tai Chi as an intervention to reduce incidence of falls and/or fear of falling were included. The methodological quality of the included trials was rated using the Delphi List. Owing to clinical heterogeneity, the data were qualitatively analysed using a 'best-evidence synthesis'. Seven randomised controlled trials involving a total of 1146 people met the inclusion criteria. The duration, frequency and intensity of the Tai Chi interventions showed great variation. The trials included were of high methodological quality. There is strong evidence to support the effectiveness of Tai Chi in reducing fear of falling, and weak evidence supporting its effectiveness in reducing the incidence of falls in older adults. Future research should focus on targeting defined clinical subpopulations with high-quality, well-designed randomised controlled trials of sufficient size and with long-term follow-up, to provide further evidence supporting the use of Tai Chi to reduce the incidence and fear of falling in older people.

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“…Until now, the merits of Tai Chi (TC) as a fall prevention intervention are promising but remain inconclusive (Chang et al, 2004;Gillespie et al, 2009;Harmer and Li, 2008;Hong and Li, 2007;Komagata and Newton, 2003;Li et al, 2004bLi et al, , 2005bLow et al, 2009;Sherrington et al, 2008;Sjosten et al, 2008;Verhagen et al, 2004;Voukelatos et al, 2007;Wayne et al, 2004;Wu, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%