Aims: Examine the effects of a community Tai Chi program on measures of balance and sensorimotor function. Methods: In a pre-test and post-test design, balance was measured in older adults (N=344; 73.4±7.4 years) with 30-second chair stand, timed-up and go, and 4-stage balance test following a 12-week community-based tai chi intervention. Balance measures and additional sensorimotor measures, including hip abductor electromechanical delay and hip proprioception, were measured in a smaller sample of older adults (n=11; 67.3±3.7 years).
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
405
12-week community-based tai chi program
UNC Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina, United States
30-second chair number
The number of times a person can stand up and sit down from a chair in 30 seconds
Time frame: 12 weeks
Timed Up and Go
The time (in seconds) for a person to stand from a chair, walk 10 feet, turn 180 degrees and return to sit in the chair
Time frame: 12 weeks
4 stage balance test
How long (in seconds) can a person stand with feet together, stand with one foot forward and to the side, stand in tandem (one foot immediately in front of the other, and stand on one foot
Time frame: 12 weeks
Hip abductor muscle contraction time
Hip abductor muscle contraction speed as measured as the time (in milliseconds) between the onset of electromyography signal and torque onset from hip muscle abduction
Time frame: 12 weeks
Brief-Balance Evaluation System Test
The bBESTest is an 8-item, clinically-based assessment measuring anticipatory postural adjustments, compensatory postural responses, sensory orientation, stability in gait, and the timed up-and-go test.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) scale
the ABC scale assesses self-reported confidence during 16 activities related to mobility.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Hip joint proprioception error
The magnitude of proprioception error was measured on the participant's dominant lower extremity with a custom-built device25,51 that allows for rotation around the axis of a semi-goniometer to measure proprioception in the transverse plane at the hip joint. Proprioception was assessed by measuring the accuracy of actively pointing a marked line on the second toe to target angles along the semi-goniometer during two conditions, a vision condition and an occluded vision condition.
Time frame: 12 weeks
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