Trunk Position Sense in Older Tai Chi Sword Practitioners

Investigation of the effectiveness of Tai Chi exercise program in patients with scleroderma: A randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND

and Purpose: There were studies showing the positive effects of Tai Chi on sleep, fatigue, endurance, balance, anxiety and depression in rheumatologic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Tai Chi exercise program on trunk endurance, balance, sleep, fatigue, anxiety and depression in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

28 patients were randomly divided into two groups as Tai Chi (n:14, 53.35 ± 10.86 years) and home exercise group (n:14, 52.64 ± 9.45 years). Trunk Lateral Endurance Test, Berg Balance Scale, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, Fatigue Severity Scale and Fatigue Impact Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used for assesment. All evaluations were performed at baseline and at the end of the 10th week.

RESULTS

After training, a statistically significant difference was observed in all parameters in Tai Chi group (p:0.00); there was a significant difference in trunk endurance and sleep quality in the home exercise group (p:0.00-0.03) compared to pre-training. When the delta values between groups were compared, Tai Chi group was superior to home exercise group in all parameters except trunk endurance (p:0.00-0.01). No side effects were observed during the exercises.

CONCLUSION

As a result of our study; Tai Chi has a possitive effect on endurance, balance, sleep quality, fatique, anxiety and depression in patients with SSc. Tai Chi should be included in rehabilitation programs as a safe alternative type of exercise to improve trunk endurance, balance, sleep quality and reduce fatigue, anxiety and depression in patients with SSc.

Effects of Tai Chi training on postural control and cognitive performance while dual tasking - a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

This single-blinded, randomized controlled study investigated the effects of practicing Tai Chi on the postural control and cognitive performance of older women while dual tasking.

METHODS

Community-dwelling older women (n=31) were recruited from community centers. They were randomized to Tai Chi group (n=15, 12-form Yang style Tai Chi training) or a control group (n=16, general interest classes) for 16 weeks. Balance was tested in single leg stance after stepping down from a step, with and without a concurrent auditory response task (auditory Stroop test). Balance was measured by total sway path and sway area of subject's center of pressure (COP). The reaction time and the correctness of the auditory Stroop test were also measured.

RESULTS

Tai Chi subjects made fewer errors in auditory Stroop test under dual-task condition after Tai Chi training (p=0.01). They also showed significant decreases in the COP path (p<0.05) and the COP area (p<0.05) in their postural control after training in both single- and dual-task conditions. The subjects in the control group did not show any significant improvement in dual-task condition after the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Tai Chi training improves the cognitive and postural control performance of older women when dual tasking.