Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Prev Med. 2010 Sep-Oct;51(3-4):222-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2010.06.003. Epub 2010 Jun 15.
Tai Chi (TC) is an exercise training that is becoming increasingly popular as an intervention for single fall prevention. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy of TC on fall rate, fear of falling and balance in older people.
Randomized controlled trials published between 1988 and January 2009 were included. In the Netherlands (2009) we used random effects models for the analyses, with data reported as incidence rate ratios (IRR) for falls and standardized mean differences (SMD) for fear of falling and balance.
Nine trials (representing 2203 participants) were included in the analyses. Compared with exercise controls, TC participants showed significant improvements in fall rates (2 trials included, IRR: 0.51, 95% CI 0.38-0.68) and static balance (2 trials included, SMD: 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.72). Compared with non-exercise controls, no improvement was found for TC participants in fall rates (5 trials, IRR: 0.79, 95% CI 0.60-1.03) or static balance (2 trials, SMD: 0.30, 95% CI -0.50-1.10), but a significant improvement was found for fear of falling (SMD: 0.37, 95% CI=0.03-0.70).
Currently there is insufficient evidence to conclude whether TC is effective in fall prevention, decreasing fear of falling and improving balance in people over age 50 years.
太极（TC）是一种运动训练，作为单一跌倒预防的干预措施越来越受欢迎。本荟萃分析旨在评估 TC 对老年人跌倒率、跌倒恐惧和平衡的疗效。
纳入 1988 年至 2009 年 1 月期间发表的随机对照试验。在荷兰（2009 年），我们使用随机效应模型进行分析，跌倒的发病率比（IRR）和跌倒恐惧和平衡的标准化均数差（SMD）报告为数据。
9 项试验（代表 2203 名参与者）纳入分析。与运动对照组相比，TC 组参与者的跌倒率显著降低（2 项试验，IRR：0.51，95%CI 0.38-0.68）和静态平衡（2 项试验，SMD：0.47，95%CI 0.23-0.72）。与非运动对照组相比，TC 组参与者的跌倒率（5 项试验，IRR：0.79，95%CI 0.60-1.03）或静态平衡（2 项试验，SMD：0.30，95%CI-0.50-1.10）无改善，但跌倒恐惧明显改善（SMD：0.37，95%CI=0.03-0.70）。
目前尚无充分证据表明 TC 是否能有效预防 50 岁以上人群跌倒、降低跌倒恐惧和改善平衡。
