Basic Tai Chi Movements For Seniors To Improve Strength & Balance

Last Updated on March 20, 2022

One of the main causes of falling in seniors is a lack of physical movements, leading to lower flexibility and balance. As seniors age, they may be less energetic than before and thus less inclined to exercise. Tai Chi (Tie Chee), an ancient Chinese martial art form with slow and gently flowing movements, might be a suitable exercise option to consider.

Tai Chi is regularly practiced by seniors in China every morning as a form of exercise. Practicing Tai Chi regularly is known to enhance health and fitness. It can also help seniors with a better sense of balance and strength. A 2011 study published on the British Journal of Sports Medicine found evidence that Tai Chi can help with fall prevention and offer general health benefits for older people.

More on Tai Chi

Tai Chi an ancient Chinese practice that is moderate and non-strenuous in nature for most practioners. Practiioners go through a continuous series of motions, many of which depict animal actions. When executing Tai Chi moves, you need to breathe deeply but naturally, while being mindful of your body’s movements as well as your breathing and the sensations that your body is experiencing.

Tai Chi is a unique form of exercise for many reasons. For one, it is a gentler approach to working out. It’s not about stretching the body to its limit. Tai Chi exercises are done with graceful circular motions and are not rigid. The muscles are slack as opposed to being tight. The connective tissues are never stretched.

This is why this practice is for practically anyone – from athletes looking to get in the best condition for a competition to people recovering from surgery or those who have limited movement capabilities. The practice, due to the use of slow, controlled, but graceful and continuous movements, also has benefits on one’s muscle control and balance.

Tai Chi also combines meditation and motion, leading both mind and body benefits. It has its roots in Martial arts, but it has evolved over the years and is now used for stress and anxiety relief. Tai Chi advocates believe that it helps promote serenity and inner peace.

Tai Chi Studies

A 2016 meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society looked into the the effectiveness of Tai Chi in preventing falls. The study was done by researchers from the University of Jaén in Spain. The researchers narrowed down the list of 891 studies into 10, opting to analyze the research data from the best ones.

Upon review, the researchers concluded that there was reliable evidence that Tai Chi reduced the rate of falls by 43% within 1 year of learning the practice, and 13% in the subsequent year. The researchers concluded that these figures are way better than those from other interventions that aim to prevent falls.

More research has yet to be done to establish the benefits of Tai Chi in reducing the likelihood or at least or the occurrence of serious falls. The authors of the study concluded that the practice may be recommended in preventing falls among at-risk adults as well as older adults, especially over the short term. They also concluded that Tai Chi may have a protective effect on the likelihood of injurious falls.

A study published in Journal of Neuroimaging provided an explanation to the biochemical mechanisms that make Tai Chi beneficial for physical and physiological health. The study concluded that the practice enhances brain metabolism and muscle response to increased load or activity.

The subjects in the study are 6 older adults enrolled in a 12-week tai Chi program. The tests involved the use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure brain and muscle chemistry. Results show significant improvements in brain health indicated by an increase in a neuronal health marker, as well as in recovery rates of metabolites in the leg muscles indicating increased metabolism.