TAI CHI

for Building Balance and Strenth As We Age

Often, the aging process affects the whole body with decreased muscle mass, strength, and flexibility in the musculoskeletal system. The combination of aging and reduced physical activity leads to prolonged reaction time, increased postural sway, and decreased reflexes resulting in functional decline and more susceptibility to falls.

Each year almost one-third of people over the age of 65 experiences a fall, 10 to 15 percent of the falls result in serious injury such as fractures and soft tissue injuries, and unfortunately 23 percent of people over 65 die as a result of their injury. One fall is a significant risk factor for experiencing another fall and the fear of subsequent falls can lead to immobility, isolation and weakness.

And, data from the National Center for Health Statistics indicates that 20 percent of people over the age of 70, living at home, had difficulty with at least one activity of daily living and that between 7 and 10 percent had trouble with more than one.

Two studies by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) found that Tai benefits us as we become older.

In the first study, Steven L. Wolf, Ph.D., and colleagues at the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga., found that older people taking part in a 15-week Tai Chi program reduced their risk of falling by 47.5 percent. Another major benefit was decreased fear of falling — a worry that often prevents older people from being as active as they’d like.

A second study, by Leslie Wolfson, M.D., and colleagues at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, found that several interventions to improve balance and strength among older people were effective. These improvements, particularly in strength, were preserved over a 6-month period while participants did Tai Chi exercises.