Tai Chi Research If you research articles about Tai Chi you can find several studies that have demonstrated that regular practice reduces falls in older adults.
In an article on WebMD, Melinda Gardner, a PhD candidate and research fellow at the University of Otago School of Medicine in Dunedin, New Zealand, is quoted as sayng, "The data show that appropriate exercise reduces both the number and risk of falls in older adults. But exercise must be regular and sustained in order to be effective."
Gardner tells WebMD that exercise must also be intense enough to improve muscle strength. "We often underestimate the ability of older adults to manage weights. But strength training is a critical component of balance retraining," says Gardner. "Tai chi is an even more dynamic way to build muscle strength. Of course, it has to be sufficiently intense."
Michael O'Grady, MD, the director of rehabilitation medicine at Wesley Woods Geriatric Hospital and associate professor of rehabilitation medicine at Emory University in Atlanta is quoted as saying, "And although tai chi improves balance and reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and hypertension, it may not be the answer for everyone," says O'Grady. Tai Chi and the Immune System A report in the April, 2007 Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reports that researchers at UCLA and the University of California, San Diego, found that a group that practiced Tai Chi mounted a stronger immune system response to vaccine than a control group. This suggests that Tai Chi may strengthen the immune system in practitioners. |
"Individual choice is critical to long-term compliance with exercise. In other words, older adults have got to like it to stay with it."
O'Grady tells WebMD that more tai chi research is under way at 20 congregate living centers in the Atlanta area. "Now we're looking at more intensive tai chi exercise for its effects on overall function and quality of life," she says. "[T]he American College of Sports Medicine recommends an exercise intensity of about three hours per week."
The bottom line seems to be that Tai Chi works, but only if you keep at it. Luckily Tai Chi is a fun activity, and it's easy for Tai Chi to become a way of life for the practitioner.
An important point is that you don't need to wait until you're a senior until you begin to get the benefits of Tai Chi. Beginning early will give you a head start on staying healthy for many years.
|