Skip to main content

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Aging and Public Health
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1443168
This article is part of the Research Topic Motor Interventions: Balance and Cognition in Older Individuals View all 5 articles

Tai Chi Improves Balance Performance in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Provisionally accepted
Cui Zhibo Cui Zhibo Xiong Jin Xiong Jin Li Zhihua Li Zhihua Yang Chengbo Yang Chengbo *
  • Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Previous research has indicated that tai chi exercise can effectively enhance balance performance in patients; however, its impact on healthy individuals remains uncertain. Therefore, this meta-analysis aims to investigate the effects of different intensities and styles of tai chi exercise on the balance performance of healthy elderly individuals. A targeted search was conducted across multiple databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Central, EBSCO, CHKI, and Embase) to find studies on the effects of tai chi on balance in older adults. The process followed PRISMA and PERSiST guidelines, with two independent reviewers handling the search, screening, data extraction, and quality assessment. 2000 participants who met inclusion criteria were included in analyses across 28 trials. The findings indicated that tai chi can enhance the balance performance of healthy older adults, as demonstrated by the Timed Up and Go test (WMD = -1.04, 95% CI: -1.36 to -0.72, P < 0.00001, I 2 =71%), Functional reach (WMD=2.81, 95% CI: 1.60 to 4.02, P < 0.00001, I 2 =56%), and Berg Balance Scale (WMD = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.19 to 3.91, p = 0.0002, I 2 = 88%), as well as other balance tests such as SLS (WMD = 5.03, 95% CI: 3.08 to 6.97, P < 0.00001, I 2 =85), and GS (WMD = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.12, P < 0.00001, I 2 =54%). Subgroup analyses showed that tai chi for both ≤ 12 and >12 weeks was statistically significant (< 0.01, respectively) for balance performance in healthy older adults, especially for tai chi exercise performed more than twice a week (WMD = -1.03, 95% CI: -1.35 to -0.72, P < 0.00001) and for more than 45 minutes each time (WMD = -1.11, 95% CI: -1.58 to -0.63, P < 0.00001) tai chi exercise had greater benefits on TUG time, FR distance and BBS in healthy older adults. In addition, compared to Sun-style tai chi, Yang-style tai chi was more effective. Tai chi improves balance in healthy older adults, with short‐term (≤12 weeks) practice of over two 45‐minute sessions weekly showing significant benefits. Yang‐style tai chi is more effective than Sun-style.

    Keywords: Tai Chi, Balance performance, healthy older, Aging adults, meta-analysis PROSPERO registration number (CRD42024532577) 1

    Received: 03 Jun 2024; Accepted: 24 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhibo, Jin, Zhihua and Chengbo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yang Chengbo, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.