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MONDAY, Sept. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) – The ancient practice of tai chi can beat strength training and aerobics to prevent falls among older people, according to a new trial.
A modified center-tai chi program on seniors has reduced falls by nearly a third in a direct comparison with an exercise program combining aerobics, muscle training, and balance exercises. .
"This tai chi program has responded better to the deficits that have contributed to the risk of falling," said lead researcher Kerri Winters-Stone, professor at the Faculty of Nursing, University of Health and Science. Oregon.
Tai Chi is a centuries-old Chinese tradition that involves a series of gracious movements. People performing tai chi move between different postures in a slow and focused manner, keeping their bodies in constant motion and frequently defying their balance.
Researchers have long suspected that tai chi can help reduce the risk of falling, said co-investigator Peter Harmer, a professor of exercise and health sciences at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. .
Approximately 28% of seniors in the United States report falling each year, and 2 out of 5 report injuries that result in an emergency visit, hospitalization or death, the researchers said in separate notes. ;information.
"The fall among adults aged 65 and over is significantly associated with the loss of independence, premature mortality and the high costs of health care," said Harmer.
Tai Chi moves require people to move in all directions, while traditional exercise programs focus more on forward and backward motion, Winters-Stone and Harmer said.
"The reality of the fall tends to be quite varied and a little unpredictable.In Tai Chi, the movements are in these multiple planes," said Winters-Stone. "You move your body out of your center of gravity and then you bring it in. There are many postural responses.
"If you accidentally started falling, if you had been trained in tai chi, you would probably do better to start counteracting this movement and regain your balance," continued Winters-Stone.
But classic tai chi can involve more than 100 different movements, which can be difficult for older people to learn, said Harmer.
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