Lai J S, Lan C, Wong M K, Teng S H
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Republic of China.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 1995 Nov;43(11):1222-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1995.tb07397.x.
To evaluate the training effects of Chinese shadow boxing, Tai Chi Chuan (TCC), on the maintenance of cardiorespiratory function in older individuals.
Prospective study of a cohort of TCC practitioners and a group of sedentary controls examined 2 years after initial examination.
Research project at a hospital-based exercise physiology laboratory.
Eighty-four community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 64 +/- 9 years) with no significant cardiovascular, pulmonary, and musculoskeletal disease completed this study. The TCC group, 23 male and 22 female subjects, had been practicing TCC regularly for 6.7 +/- 3.3 years. The control group included 21 male and 18 female sedentary subjects with age and body size matched to the TCC group.
During the period of the study, the TCC practitioners practiced TCC 5.0 +/- 1.1 times per week. Each session included 20 minutes of warm up, 24 minutes of TCC training, and 10 minutes of cool down. The baseline cardiorespiratory function was recorded in the initial exercise test. The same measurements were repeated 2 years later to determine the rate of decline of cardiorespiratory function. Furthermore, heart rates (HR) were monitored in 18 men and 16 women during the performance of TCC to determine the exercise intensity of TCC.
The study measured 2-year trends of cardiorespiratory function in both groups.
In the TCC group, the males showed a 2.8% decrease in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) from 31.6 +/- 7.6 mL x kg-1 x min-1 to 30.7 +/- 7.1 mL x kg-1 x min-1; the females showed a 2.9% decrease in VO2 max from 20.7 +/- 2.3 mL x kg-1 x min-1 to 20.1 +/- 2.5 mL x kg-1 x min-1. In contrast, the male control group showed a 6.6% decrease in VO2max from 24.4 +/- 4.4 mL x kg-1 x min-1 to 22.8 +/- 4.4 mL x kg-1 x min-1; the females showed a 7.4% decrease in VO2max from 16.2 +/- 2.3 mL x kg-1 x min-1 to 15.0 +/- 2.7 mL x kg-1 x min-1. At the ventilatory threshold (VeT), the sedentary group also showed a significant decrease in VO2. During the steady-state performance of TCC, subjects' mean HR was approximately the HR at the VeT (53-57% of HRmax reserve).
The data substantiate that practicing Tai Chi Chuan regularly may delay the decline of cardiorespiratory function in older individuals. In addition, TCC may be prescribed as a suitable aerobic exercise for older adults.
评估太极拳对老年人心肺功能维持的训练效果。
对一组太极拳练习者和一组久坐不动的对照组进行前瞻性队列研究，在初次检查2年后进行复查。
一家医院运动生理学实验室的研究项目。
84名居住在社区的老年人（平均年龄：64±9岁），无明显心血管、肺部和肌肉骨骼疾病，完成了本研究。太极拳组有23名男性和22名女性受试者，他们定期练习太极拳6.7±3.3年。对照组包括21名男性和18名女性久坐受试者，年龄和体型与太极拳组匹配。
在研究期间，太极拳练习者每周练习太极拳5.0±1.1次。每次练习包括20分钟热身、24分钟太极拳训练和10分钟放松。在初次运动测试中记录基线心肺功能。2年后重复相同测量以确定心肺功能下降率。此外，在18名男性和16名女性进行太极拳练习期间监测心率，以确定太极拳的运动强度。
该研究测量了两组心肺功能的2年变化趋势。
在太极拳组中，男性的最大摄氧量（VO₂max）从31.6±7.6 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹下降2.8%至30.7±7.1 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹；女性的VO₂max从20.7±2.3 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹下降2.9%至20.1±2.5 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹。相比之下，男性对照组的VO₂max从24.4±4.4 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹下降6.6%至22.8±4.4 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹；女性的VO₂max从16.2±2.3 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹下降7.4%至15.0±2.7 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹。在通气阈（VeT）时，久坐组的VO₂也显著下降。在太极拳的稳态运动期间，受试者的平均心率约为VeT时的心率（心率储备最大值的53 - 57%）。
数据证实，定期练习太极拳可能会延缓老年人心肺功能的下降。此外，太极拳可作为适合老年人的有氧运动。
