Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if Tai Chi training will improve balance in people 60 years of age or older. Guiding Questions: Will practicing Tai Chi-trained group and a non-Tai Chi-trained group by using the Tinetti and Romberg Balance assessments? Subjects and Methods: Twenty-two subjects over 60 years of age were assessed by the Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Balance and Gait Assessments, plus the Standard Romberg and Tandem "Stratified" Romberg Assessments. Sway and strategies were also assessed. A group of people that practices Tai Chi (n=10) were compared with a group of people that do not practice Tai Chi (n=12). Results: The Tinetti assessments were insignificant, but the Romberg assessments did depict significant difference between the two groups. The results from the Tinetti assessments were analyzed with an Independent Sample t-test and a Levene's test checked for Homogeneity of Variance for violations of equality. The results from the Romberg assessments, and the sway and strategies were analyzed with Pearson's chi square and cross tabs. Principal conclusion: The Tai Chi-trained group has a better balance than the group not trained in Tai Chi.
| Date of Award | Jan 1 1998 |
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| Original language | English |
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