Tai Chi Can Improve Postural Control During Upper Limb Movement for Healthy Elderly

• Main Authors: Pan, Jiahao, Liu, Cuixian, Li, Li
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Digital Commons@Georgia Southern 2015
• Subjects: Tai Chi; Postural control; Upper limb movement; Healthy elderly; Kinesiology; Medicine and Health Sciences; DML
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/health-kinesiology-facpres/25; http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2015/05001/Tai_Chi_can_Improve_Postural_Control_during_Upper.958.aspx

Purpose: Aim of the study was to examine the effects of Tai Chi (TC) training on postural control when upright standing was perturbed by upper limb movement. Methods: Three groups, TC, Brisk walk (BW), and Sedentary (SE), of thirty-six participants aged form 65 to 75 years old were recruited from local community centers. Participants performed six different upper extremity fitting tasks (two different reaching distances X three different opening sizes to fit through). During fitting tasks, the COP data was recorded while standing on the force plate. Three-way ANOVA with repeated measure used to examine the effects of group, reaching distances and opening sizes. Criteria measures calculated from COP data were distance in anterior-posterior (DAP) and medial-lateral directions (DML), 95% area (AREA) and average velocity (VEL). Results: Significant linear trends (P<.05) observed for reaching different distances and fitting different openings for variables reported in Table 1 & 2. TC group were least effected by upper body motion in both reaching for further distance and fitting object to smaller openings. Conclusions: Long-term TC exercise helps reduce the effects of upper body perturbation as measured by posture sway, comparing to the other two groups.