Iron Fist: Senior citizens, tai chi helps you build body strength and balance

The ancient Chinese practice focuses on flexibility and body coordination that promotes harmonised motion in space.

Practising tai chi one to three times per week may help reduce the number of falls in older adults -- a primary cause of traumatic death in the population, a study has showed. Tai chi is an ancient Chinese practice focused on flexibility and whole body coordination that promotes harmonised motion in space.

A study revealed high-quality evidence that tai chi significantly reduced the rate of falls by 43%.(Shutterstock)

The study revealed high-quality evidence that tai chi significantly reduced the rate of falls by 43% compared with other interventions at short-term follow-up (less than 12 months) and by 13% at long-term follow-up (more than 12 months).

Regarding injurious falls, there was some evidence that tai chi reduced risk by 50% over the short term and by 28% over the long term. “Tai chi practice may be recommended to prevent falls in at-risk adults and older adults. The findings offer a simple and holistic way to prevent injuries,” said Rafael Lomas-Vega, from the University of Jaen in Spain.

Tai chi has been previously proved to be an effective exercise to improve balance control and flexibility in older individuals, suggesting its efficacy in preventing falls.

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