Effects of Tai Chi Exercise on body stability among the elderly during stair descent under different levels of illumination.
Res Sports Med
; 25(2): 197-208, 2017.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28367687
ABSTRACT
The elderly are prone to stair descent falls under low illumination. Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese conditioning exercise, has been proved to improve body stability by altering body condition, gait, and proprioception. This study investigates whether Tai Chi exercise could improve body stability during stair descent under high and low illumination. Three groups of elderly women who practice Tai Chi, brisk walking, and no exercise were included. They descended from a simulated staircase. Tai Chi participants decreased horizontal velocity, centre of mass (COM) sway, and increased foot clearance compared with other participants, these movements could increase body stability; Compared with under high illumination, Tai Chi participants decreased horizontal velocity, loading rate, braking impulse, and increased inclination angle, COM sway, centre of pressure displacement under low illumination. Tai Chi participants were more sensitive to the difference in illumination, and took corresponding strategies to stabilize their bodies during stair descent.
Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Therapeutic Methods and Therapies TCIM:
Terapias_mente_y_cuerpo
/
Tai_chi
Main subject:
Lighting
/
Tai Ji
/
Postural Balance
/
Physical Conditioning, Human
/
Stair Climbing
Language:
En
Journal:
Res Sports Med
Year:
2017
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
China