Large arms circles, slow and controlled movements, you may have already come across these followers of a very gentle martial art: tai chi. An ancient Chinese discipline that could be useful for the elderly or at risk of falling. Focused on whole body coordination, tai chi is known to improve flexibility and balance. Researchers from the University of Jaén in Spain have hypothesized that this sport could reduce falls and their consequences for vulnerable audiences in this way.
They scoured the scientific publications on the subject and retained ten studies whose results they jointly analyzed. These compared the practice of tai chi and other treatments like physical therapy andphysical activity of low intensity in reducing the occurrence of falls. According to studies, participants performed sessions of 12 to 26 weeks, with one to three weekly sessions of one hour.
Fewer short and long term falls
By the practice of the martial art, the falls decreased by 43% in the short term and 13% beyond one year, compared to the results of the other treatments. The same goes for dangerous falls, which can leave sequelae or lead to infirmity or even death: they decrease by 50% in less than a year, and by 28% in the long term. However, no influence was demonstrated on the length of time before the occurrence of the first dangerous fall. Scientists want more work to further study this aspect and see whether or not a link exists with the practice of tai chi.
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