With earlier research having shown that tai chi can improve balance and reduce falls in elderly people, UIC scientists Christina Hui-Chan and her colleague Stephanie Au-Yeung conducted a study to determine if this ancient form of Chinese martial arts could help resolve balance problems in people who had suffered a stroke. Their work, which was carried out at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University over a period of 12 weeks, involved 136 research subjects who had suffered a stroke at least six months prior to the start of the study. Half of the participants were placed into a control group and practiced breathing, stretching and other simple exercises like walking. The other half practiced a simple form of tai chi that focused on coordinated movements requiring concentration and attention to balance.
At the end of the study period, several tests were given. When tested for their ability to stand, walk and sit, both groups performed equally well. Both groups were also tested to see if they could maintain their balance while shifting their weight, whether they could lean in different directions and if they were able to stand on moving surfaces, like they might in a moving bus. In the second set of tests, the group that had practiced tai chi – which involves slow, fluid postures to focus concentration while gently working muscles – clearly outperformed the control group. “The tai chi group did particularly better in conditions that required them to use their balance control,” says Hui-Chan, professor and head of physical therapy at UIC. “In only six weeks, we saw significant improvements. The ability to shift your weight is very important because all reaching tasks require it.” Hui-Chan also noted that tai chi can help improve strength and cardiovascular fitness.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), which is part of the National Institutes of Health, is sponsoring studies to learn more about the health benefits of tai chi, how it works, and diseases and conditions for which it may be most helpful.
News Release: Tai Chi provides natural treatment for stroke damage www.naturalnews.com March 28, 2009
