Detraining effects of regular Tai Chi exercise on postural control ability in older women: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background/Objective

This study aimed to investigate the training and detraining effects of Tai Chi (TC) on postural control ability in single leg stance (SLS) by conducting a single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Method

Forty-eight older women were randomly divided into the TC, brisk walking (BW), and control(C) groups by using computer-generated program. The participants completed a 16-week intervention training and 8-week detraining program. Postural control ability in SLS was tested at the baseline, 16 t h, 20 t h, and 24 t h weeks. The primary outcomes included single-leg stance time (Time) and secondary outcomes included maximal displacement of the center of pressure (COP) in the anterior–posterior (AP) direction (D-ap), maximal displacement of the COP in the medial–lateral (ML) direction (D-ml), total length of the COP trajectories (Lng), and 95% confidence ellipse area of the COP movements (area), mean AP total excursion velocities (V-ap), and mean ML total excursion velocities (V-ml).

Results

Significant within-group difference compared with the baseline and between-groups difference compared with control group were found at 16 t h, 20 t h, and 24 t h weeks in the TC group and at the 16 t h and 20 t h weeks in the BW group in all the primary and secondary outcomes. Most of secondary outcomes including Lng, D-ml, V-ml, Area increased significantly at the 24 t h week compared with that at the 16 t h week in BW group.

Conclusions

TC was effective in improving postural control ability and maintaining intervention gains, and was recommended as an appropriate exercise to prevent falls in the older adults.