PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Tai Chi exercise on muscle strength, balance, flexibility and bone mineral density among community dwelling elderly women.
METHODS
A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a nonequivalent comparison group was utilized, Elderly women were recruited from the community settings and assigned to either the treatment group (n=30) or the comparison group (n=34). Both groups completed the pretest and the posttest measures at six months with an 29.7% of dropouts. Tai Chi exercise was performed for 60 minutes, three times a week for 24 weeks. The study participants were referred to the sports clinic of the university hospital where an exercise therapist and a technician measured muscle strength, balance, flexibility, and bone mineral density without the knowledge of the group assignment. Data were collected from June 14, 2010 to May 27, 2011.
RESULTS
At the completion of 6 month Tai Chi exercise, the experimental group showed a significant difference in knee flexor strength (t=3.26, p=.002), flexibility (t=-2.93, p=.005), and bone mineral density in femur (t=2.20, p=.032), compared to the control group.
CONCLUSION
Tai Chi exercise could be performed safely to community dwelling elderly women and effective for preventing declining in physical function in this population. Whether or not this health benefits would lead fall prevention will require further study.

Citations

• A trend of Tai Chi in osteoporosis research: A bibliometric analysis
  Libing Liang, Mingyue Zhang, Kunpeng Li, Jianmiao Hou, Caiqin Wu
  Complementary Therapies in Medicine.2024; 86: 103083.     CrossRef
• Effects of 12-week Tai Chi program on physical function, depression, and quality of life among cognitively impaired older adults: a feasibility study
  Hyunkyoung Oh, Rhayun Song, Seon Joo Kim
  BMC Geriatrics.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• The Effects of Tai Chi Chuan Exercise Training on the Lower Extremities of Middle-Aged and Elderly
  Bo-Jen Ko, Ting-Ting Lee, Tai-Yen Hsu, Chen-Fu Huang
  Applied Sciences.2022; 12(9): 4460.     CrossRef
• The effects of tai chi chuan exercise training on countermovement jump performance in the elderly
  Bo-Jen Ko, Tai-Yen Hsu, Chen-Fu Huang
  Research in Sports Medicine.2020; 28(4): 563.     CrossRef
• The Effects of Tai Chi Exercise on Hope, Dependency, and Perceived Health Status of Elderly Women
  Yong Ju Park, Ja Ok Kim
  Journal of muscle and joint health.2014; 21(2): 106.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
The study aimed to apply Tai Chi exercise to patients with coronary artery disease for 6 months, and to examine changes on body composition, physical strength, and cardiovascular risks. METHODS: Applying a quasi experimental design with a nonequivalent control group, 90 subjects with cardiovascular disease were recruited at C university hospital. For 6 months, 44 subjects performed Tai Chi exercise once a week and daily home exercise, while 46 subjects did not. Body composition was assessed by body mass index, % body fat, and waist-hip ratio; physical strength by balance, mobility, flexibility, grip strength, and back muscle strength; and cardiovascular risk checklist for fixed and modifiable risk factors. Data were analyzed by SPSS/WIN program with ANCOVA to consider group differences at the pretest. RESULTS: The subjects were 66 years old in average. In 6 months, Tai Chi group improved significantly in balance, mobility, and flexibility with decreased modifiable cardiovascular risks after adjusting for the pretest scores. CONCLUSION: Tai Chi exercise was safely applicable to individuals with coronary artery disease, and effective in some measures of physical strength and modifiable cardiovascular risks. It could be an alternative exercise for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program in this population.