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Underlying mechanisms of Tai-Chi-Chuan training for improving balance ability in the elders

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Abstract

Objective

To compare balance ability between elderly individuals who practiced Tai-Chi-Chuan (TCC) for average 9.64 years and elderly individuals who did not practice TCC and its relationship with lower extremity muscle strength and ankle proprioception.

Methods

Twenty-five elderly volunteers were divided into two groups according to their TCC practcing experience. Sixteen were TCC group and the other nine were control population. Subjects completed a static balance test and ankle proprioception test using a custom-designed evaluation system, and concentric and eccentric knee extensor and flexor muscle strength tests. Subjects stood on the plate form to measure the proprioception in functional standing position which was differed from the previous studies. Multiple linear regressions were also used to predict the important factor affecting balance.

Results

TCC group performed better than the control group in balance, proprioception, and muscle strength of lower extremity. The proprioception was the most important factor related to balance ability and it can be accounted for explaining 44% of variance in medial-lateral sway direction, and 53% of variance in antero-posterior sway direction. The proprioception may be a more important factor which affecting the balance ability.

Conclusion

TCC training is recommended to the elders; as it can improve balance ability through better proprioception.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sports Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 807, China

    Lan-yuen Guo  (郭藍遠), Yu-lin You  (尤玉琳), Shen-kai Chen  (陳勝凱) & Wen-lan Wu  (吳汶蘭)

  2. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan, 500, China

    Chao-pin Yang  (楊照彬)

  3. Department of Orthopedic, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 807, China

    Shen-kai Chen  (陳勝凱)

  4. Department of Physical Therapy, Tzu-Chi College of Technology, Hualien, Taiwan, 970, China

    Chich-haung Yang  (楊志鴻)

  5. Department of Electrical Engineering, Far East University, Tainan, Taiwan, 744, China

    Yi-you Hou  (侯易佑)

Authors
  1. Lan-yuen Guo  (郭藍遠)
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  2. Chao-pin Yang  (楊照彬)
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  3. Yu-lin You  (尤玉琳)
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  4. Shen-kai Chen  (陳勝凱)
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  5. Chich-haung Yang  (楊志鴻)
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  6. Yi-you Hou  (侯易佑)
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  7. Wen-lan Wu  (吳汶蘭)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lan-yuen Guo  (郭藍遠).

Additional information

Supported by Grants from the Department of Health, Taiwan [No. DOH95-TD-M-113-019-(1/2 & 2/2)] and Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan (No. 97-CCH-KMU-006)

These authors contribute equally to this work

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Guo, Ly., Yang, Cp., You, Yl. et al. Underlying mechanisms of Tai-Chi-Chuan training for improving balance ability in the elders. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 20, 409–415 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-013-1533-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-013-1533-4

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