Rehabilitation Department, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan City, Hebei Province, China.
Physical Therapy Department, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth USA.
Physiother Theory Pract. 2022 Dec;38(12):1928-1936. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2021.1926023. Epub 2021 Jun 2.
To investigate effects of a short 8-form Tai Chi exercise on physical function, fear of falling, and depression in pre-frail elderly people living in senior communities.
This 8-week randomized controlled trial was conducted in senior living communities with qualified pre-frail elderly subjects in a Tai Chi group (TCG, n= 32) and a control group (CG, n = 33). The TCG received TC intervention: three times/week, 60 min each; while the CG did usual care only. Assessments of the 30-s chair rise test (CRT), 4.5-m walking speed (WS), fear of falling (FOF), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), were all applied at baseline, end of 4th week, and end of 8th week.
Between-group comparison at the 4th week showed significantly better outcomes in CRT (TCG: 14.56 ± 1.87; CG: 11.48 ± 2.83; P< .001) and WS (TCG: 4.28 ± 0.69; CG: 5.11 ± 1.16; P = .001) in the TCG than those in the CG, but not in FOF (TCG: 0.56 ± 0.56; CG: 0.79 ± 0.89; P = .228) and GDS (TCG: 7.91 ± 5.54; CG: 9.58 ± 6.85; P = .285). However, at the 8th week, significant differences (P< .001) were found in all four assessments: (1) CRT: TCG vs CG: 17.28 ± 2.00 vs 11.36± 2.94; (2) WS: TCG vs CG: 3.94 ± 0.59 vs 5.17 ± 1.22; (3) FOF: TCG vs CG: 0.16 ± 0.37 vs 1.00 ± 0.90; and (4) GDS: TCG vs CG: 3.84 ± 3.60 vs 9.97 ± 6.80, and the intervention effect of 8 weeks was better than at 4 weeks. For within-group comparison of the TCG, significant improvements were identified in CRT (P< .001), WS (P = .008), and FOF (P = .002); but not in GDS, P = .121 at the 4th week, and also in CRT (P< .001), WS (P< .001), FOF (P< .001), and GDS (P< .001) at the 8th week. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in the CG for pre- and post-comparison (CRT: P = .891; WS: P = .984; FOF: P = .636; GDS: P = .822).
This short-form TC exercise could improve physical function (the lower limbs' strength and gait speed), fear of falling, and depression.
探讨短期 8 式太极拳锻炼对居住在老年社区的虚弱前期老年人的身体功能、跌倒恐惧和抑郁的影响。
本 8 周随机对照试验在有合格虚弱前期老年人的老年社区进行，太极拳组（TCG，n=32）和对照组（CG，n=33）接受 TC 干预：每周 3 次，每次 60 分钟；而 CG 仅接受常规护理。在基线、第 4 周结束和第 8 周结束时，所有参与者都接受了 30 秒椅子起立测试（CRT）、4.5 米步行速度（WS）、跌倒恐惧（FOF）和老年抑郁量表（GDS）的评估。
第 4 周时，TCG 在 CRT（TCG：14.56±1.87；CG：11.48±2.83；P<.001）和 WS（TCG：4.28±0.69；CG：5.11±1.16；P=.001）方面的结果明显优于 CG，但在 FOF（TCG：0.56±0.56；CG：0.79±0.89；P=.228）和 GDS（TCG：7.91±5.54；CG：9.58±6.85；P=.285）方面则无差异。然而，在第 8 周时，四项评估均存在显著差异（P<.001）：（1）CRT：TCG 与 CG 比较：17.28±2.00 与 11.36±2.94；（2）WS：TCG 与 CG 比较：3.94±0.59 与 5.17±1.22；（3）FOF：TCG 与 CG 比较：0.16±0.37 与 1.00±0.90；（4）GDS：TCG 与 CG 比较：3.84±3.60 与 9.97±6.80，且 8 周的干预效果优于 4 周。对于 TCG 的组内比较，CRT（P<.001）、WS（P=.008）和 FOF（P=.002）均有显著改善；但 GDS 无差异，P=.121 为第 4 周，CRT（P<.001）、WS（P<.001）、FOF（P<.001）和 GDS（P<.001）在第 8 周也有显著改善。另一方面，CG 在前后比较中无显著差异（CRT：P=.891；WS：P=.984；FOF：P=.636；GDS：P=.822）。
这种短期的 TC 运动可以改善身体功能（下肢力量和步态速度）、跌倒恐惧和抑郁。
