Guo Lan-yuen, Yang Chao-pin, You Yu-lin, Chen Shen-kai, Yang Chich-haung, Hou Yi-you, Wu Wen-lan
Department of Sports Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 807, China,
Chin J Integr Med. 2014 Jun;20(6):409-15. doi: 10.1007/s11655-013-1533-4. Epub 2014 Jun 21.
To compare balance ability between elderly individuals who practiced Tai-Chi-Chuan (TCC) for average 9.64 years and elderly individuals who did not practice TCC and its relationship with lower extremity muscle strength and ankle proprioception.
Twenty-five elderly volunteers were divided into two groups according to their TCC practcing experience. Sixteen were TCC group and the other nine were control population. Subjects completed a static balance test and ankle proprioception test using a custom-designed evaluation system, and concentric and eccentric knee extensor and flexor muscle strength tests. Subjects stood on the plate form to measure the proprioception in functional standing position which was differed from the previous studies. Multiple linear regressions were also used to predict the important factor affecting balance.
TCC group performed better than the control group in balance, proprioception, and muscle strength of lower extremity. The proprioception was the most important factor related to balance ability and it can be accounted for explaining 44% of variance in medial-lateral sway direction, and 53% of variance in antero-posterior sway direction. The proprioception may be a more important factor which affecting the balance ability.
TCC training is recommended to the elders; as it can improve balance ability through better proprioception.
比较平均练习太极拳9.64年的老年人与未练习太极拳的老年人之间的平衡能力，以及其与下肢肌肉力量和踝关节本体感觉的关系。
25名老年志愿者根据其太极拳练习经历分为两组。16人为太极拳组，另外9人为对照组。受试者使用定制设计的评估系统完成了静态平衡测试和踝关节本体感觉测试，以及膝关节伸肌和屈肌的向心和离心肌肉力量测试。受试者站在平台上测量功能站立位的本体感觉，这与以往研究不同。还使用多元线性回归来预测影响平衡的重要因素。
太极拳组在平衡、本体感觉和下肢肌肉力量方面的表现优于对照组。本体感觉是与平衡能力相关的最重要因素，它可以解释内侧-外侧摆动方向44%的方差，以及前后摆动方向53%的方差。本体感觉可能是影响平衡能力的更重要因素。
建议老年人进行太极拳训练；因为它可以通过改善本体感觉来提高平衡能力。
