Tai Chi Research » Fall Prevention Programs

Review of controlled trials show tai chi to be effective at reducing risk of falls among seniors.

David Bendall — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:22:39 +0000

A systematic review of randomizes trials of interventions to reduce falls in community-dwelling seniors published in the April 2009 Cochrane Database Syst Rev. found that tai chi is effective at reducing the rate of falls. In addition to tai chi, multiple-component group exercise, individually prescribed multiple-component home-based exercise, and assessment and multifactorial intervention were also found to be effective. Of these tai chi had the greatest estimated reduction in falls. A number of other interventions were also found to be effective, however these only applied to selected situations or populations such as anti-slip shoes in icy conditions and first eye cataract surgery.

Abstract

Intense tai chi training leads to a reduction in fear of falling in frail older adults.

David Bendall — Sat, 30 May 2009 15:39:08 +0000

Researchers at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control in Atlanta designed a study in order to determine whether an intense tai chi exercise program could reduce fear of falling better than a wellness education program among older adults transitioning to frailty how had previously fallen. Ten matched pairs of congregate living facilities were randomly assigned to participate in either the tai chi or wellness education program. A total of 311 elderly adults participated. Fear of falling was similar in both groups at the start of the study, but after 8 months fear of falling was significantly lower in the tai chi group, with the difference growing over time. The researchers concluded, “tai chi should be considered in any program designed to reduce falling and fear of falling in transitionally frail older adults”.

Abstract

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends tai chi as a key component of community-based fall prevention programs.

David Bendall — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:32:23 +0000

In a recent publication, Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community-based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults, the CDC recommends tai chi as a key component of a falls prevention program. According to the CDC the only programs that have been shown to be affective in reducing falls among older adults are single intervention programs involving exercise, such as tai chi, or multiple intervention programs involving exercise together with other interventions such as vision assessment and education.

According to the document appropriate types of exercise which effectively reduce falls among older adults include:

Tai Chi
Strengthening exercises combined with balance training
Balance training alone

The full document is available as a pdf file.

Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community-based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults PDF