If you’re over 60, talking about practicing martial arts may not be very appealing. However, Tai Chi, originally designed for self-defense, has evolved into a practice that works on both the body and mind. as. .and be known “Meditation in Movement” Gentle activities using breathing techniques, mental focus, and relaxation.
doctor. Peter WayneA Tai Chi researcher at Harvard Medical School explains, “The discipline is based on understanding people. like everything and improves balance and communication between different systems in the body,” adding: “This is a promising intervention aimed at protecting and improving health in many areas, especially in older adults. “
As Dr. Wayne points out, the benefits for functional mobility and balance in older adults are well known, but because older adults vary widely in physical conditions, these benefits are not well understood. Protocols and Observations Research.
Now, a new review and analysis of the study cutting edgeshowed that compared with traditional exercise, Tai Chi could improve functional mobility and balance in relatively healthy older adults.
Better than traditional exercise
The researchers examined 12 studies involving 2,901 participants. As explained in a statement, the benefits of practicing Tai Chi compared to traditional exercise can result in:
- The time to complete a 15-meter walk was reduced by 1.84 seconds.
- The one-legged posture can be maintained for 6 seconds longer with the eyes open, and by 1.65 seconds with the eyes closed.
- The men’s performance on the timed test improved by 0.18 points, indicating they stood, walked and sat faster.
- Individuals who took the Functional Reach Test showed significant improvements with a standardized mean difference of 0.7, indicating a significant positive impact on the ability to reach and perform daily activities.
Secondary analyzes showed that the use of Tai Chi of relatively short duration (20 weeks) and total time (total time ≤24 hours) and/or the Yang style focused on this ancient Chinese martial art form was particularly beneficial. There is a greater sense of balance than traditional exercise.
He said: “This systematic literature review and meta-analysis are interesting because they provide strong evidence that tai chi is a more effective strategy than traditional exercise for improving outcomes in relatively healthy older adults. Functional mobility and balance.” Bullard ManorDirector of Aging Research at Hebrew Senior Living and Professor of Medicine at Harvard University.
In itself, Bao DapengThe Beijing Sport University professor added: “This study suggests that Tai Chi should be carefully considered in future research and rehabilitation programs to improve balance and mobility in older adults,” he said. Dapeng.
