Effects Of Bafa Wubu Of Tai Chi Practice On The Balance Control Among Older Adults

Abstract

PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness of Bafa Wubu of Tai Chi (BWTC) practice in improving the center of pressure (COP) variables, proprioception, and plantar tactile sensitivity. METHODS: A total of 31 participants were randomly assigned to control (CON, N = 16, received no intervention) and BWTC (BWTC, N = 15, received 16-week Tai Chi practice) groups. Data of COP variables, proprioception, and plantar tactile sensitivity were collected at week 0 and week 17. The outcome variables were root mean square (RMS) and mean velocity of COP displacements during the double stance with eyes open (DO)/ eyes closed (DC); single stance with eyes open (SO) / eyes closed (SC). The proprioception of dominant leg knee extension/flexion, ankle plantar/dorsal flexion was collected. The plantar tactile sensitivities of the heel, arch, metatarsal 1&5, and great toe were collected. A Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to examine the results. RESULTS: After the intervention, significant group by time interactions were observed. Significantly decreased COP variables observed for the BWTC group in RMS of COP in medial-lateral (ML) directions during DO (BWTC group: week 0: 6.1 ± 0.4, week 17: 4.8 ± 0.4, CON group: week 0: 5.3 ± 0.4, week 17: 5.8 ± 0.4, P < 0.001) and SC (BWTC group: week 0: 30.6 ± 4.4, week 17: 17.9 ± 3.1, CON group: week 0: 29.3 ± 0.4, week 17: 27.3 ± 0.4, P = 0.023) conditions, the mean velocity of COP in anterior-posterior (BWTC group: week 0: 367.5 ± 65.0, week 17: 200.7 ± 37.5, CON group: week 0: 261.7 ± 65.0, week 17: 268.0 ± 37.5, P = 0.017) and ML (BWTC group:week 0: 271.2 ± 40.1, week 17:146.0 ± 17.1, CON group: week 0: 222.0 ± 40.1, week 17: 196.9 ± 17.1, P = 0.046) directions during SC condition, proprioception threshold decreased knee extension (BWTC group: week 0: 3.8 ± 0.6, week 17: 2.7 ± 0.5, CON group: week 0: 3.3 ± 0.6, week 17: 3.6 ± 0.5, P = 0.012), plantar tactile sensitivity threshold decreased at the arch (BWTC group: week 0: 4.2 ± 0.2, week 17: 3.8 ± 0.2, CON group: week 0: 4.5 ± 0.2, week 17: 4.6 ± 0.2, P = 0.024). CONCLUSION: The outcomes indicated that after 16-week BWTC practice, practitioners showed improved COP variables, knee proprioception threshold, and arch tactile sensitivity. BWTC can be an effective rehabilitation modality to improve fall-risk related balance and sensory factors among older adults.