Community-based Tai Chi, Balance, and Fall Risk

Effects of a Community-based Tai Chi Program on Balance, Functional Outcomes, and Sensorimotor Function in Older Adults

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 Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Fall; Proprioceptive Disorders; Postural Balance
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: tai chi

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 405

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Asheville, North Carolina, United States, 28804
      • UNC Asheville

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 60 years to 95 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: N/A
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Older adult volunteers willing to participate in a 12-week community-based tai chi program

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• age 60 years or older
• ability to independently ambulate
• self-described concern with stability and/or mobility.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Neurological diagnosis
• Participants body weight exceeds >450 pounds).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Tai Chi; All participants enrolled in a 12 week community-based tai chi program.	Behavioral: tai chi; 12-week community-based tai chi program

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
30-second chair number	The number of times a person can stand up and sit down from a chair in 30 seconds	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	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	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	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.	12 weeks
Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) scale	the ABC scale assesses self-reported confidence during 16 activities related to mobility.	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.	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of North Carolina at Asheville
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jason R Wingert, Phd, UNC Asheville

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 11, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 15, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): June 15, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 18, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 21, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): November 22, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 22, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 21, 2019
• Last Verified: November 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Sensation Disorders; Somatosensory Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1373542-1

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No