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A Randomized, Controlled Trial of tai chi for the Prevention of Falls: The Central Sydney tai chi Trial
Author(s) -
Voukelatos Alexander,
Cumming Robert G.,
Lord Stephen R.,
Rissel Chris
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01244.x
Subject(s) - medicine , confidence interval , randomized controlled trial , balance (ability) , hazard ratio , physical therapy , poison control , fall prevention , injury prevention , surgery , emergency medicine
OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of a 16‐week community‐based tai chi program in reducing falls and improving balance in people aged 60 and older. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled trial with waiting list control group. SETTING: Community in Sydney, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred two relatively healthy community‐dwelling people aged 60 and older (mean age 69). INTERVENTION: Sixteen‐week program of community‐based tai chi classes of 1 hour duration per week. MEASUREMENTS: Falls during 16 and 24 weeks of follow‐up were assessed using a calendar method. Balance was measured at baseline and 16‐week follow‐up using six balance tests. RESULTS: Falls were less frequent in the tai chi group than in the control group. Using Cox regression and time to first fall, the hazard ratio after 16 weeks was 0.72 (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.51–1.01, P =.06), and after 24 weeks it was 0.67 (95% CI=0.49–0.93, P =.02). There was no difference in the percentage of participants who had one or more falls. There were statistically significant differences in changes in balance favoring the tai chi group on five of six balance tests. CONCLUSION: Participation in once per week tai chi classes for 16 weeks can prevent falls in relatively healthy community‐dwelling older people.