Tai Chi for Older Adults

Fear of losing one’s balance, falling, and breaking a hip or other bones are all major concerns, especially among aging and elderly people. Tai chi is a safe, effective, and enjoyable way to significantly improve balance and thus reduce the risk of falling and fracturing bones.

What is Tai Chi?

Tai chi is an ancient Chinese martial art that is particularly suitable for older people because it is not only gentle on the muscles, it actually helps develop stronger muscles, enhance mobility and flexibility, and perhaps most important, improves balance and concentration.

Tai chi is a self-paced system of exercise and stretching that involves a series of postures that are done in a continuous flow without pausing. Although tai chi has more than 100 possible positions and movements, some people choose to practice only a few while others go on to try them all.

The soft, fluid-like movements of tai chi may not look like they are “doing anything,” but looks are deceiving. Indeed, the fact that it involves slow, purposeful movement is the very reason it helps build strength and is so beneficial.

Tai Chi Studies

Numerous research studies show the value of tai chi for older adults. In one study, reported in the September 2006 issue of Physical Therapy, older adults who participated in tai chi were 44 percent less likely to experience an injurious fall, and the practice of tai chi also prevented a decline in balance and gait.

An Australian study, reported in the August 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, found that healthy older adults who participated in a once weekly tai chi class for 16 weeks were less likely to fall, and the adults who participated also showed significant improvement in balance when compared with their peers who did not take the class. Yet another tai chi study found that the practice can safely improve muscle strength in the knees and ankles, improve flexibility, and enhance mobility in older adults.

Is Tai Chi for You?

It is estimated that each year in the United States, more than one third of adults older than 65 experience a fall, and most fractures among older adults are caused by falls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the main cause of injury deaths among older adults.

Experts have shown that tai chi can significantly reduce these risks in a safe, effective way. Most older people can practice tai chi, regardless of their age or physical abilities, because it emphasizes technique over strength.

If you have a physical disability or a health condition (e.g., heart disease, severe osteoporosis, back problems) that may limit your ability to perform all the postures, modifications are easy to make. Anyone who has limitations should choose a tai chi instructor who knows how to work with older adults. An increasing number of adult-care facilities now hire tai chi instructors who specialize in working with the elderly.

For more information about tai chi in your area, contact your local hospitals, community centers, or the International Taoist Tai Chi Society.

References

Lin MR et al. Community-based tai chi and its effect on injurious falls, balance, gait, and fear of falling in older people. Phys Ther. 2006 Sep;86(9):1189-201.

Voukelatos A et al. A randomized, controlled trial of tai chi for the prevention of falls: the Central Sydney tai chi trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2007 Aug;55(8):1185-91.

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