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J Multidiscip Care. 2021;10(1): 14-21.
doi: 10.34172/jmdc.2021.04
  Abstract View: 687
  PDF Download: 354

Original Article

The effect of tai chi exercise on gait speed and the rate of fall in elderly women

Esmat Nourbakh Kashki 1, Mehri Jahanshahi 2 ORCID logo, Zahra Jannat Alipour 2 ORCID logo, Abbas Shamsalinia 3* ORCID logo, Mahmoud Haji Ahmadi 4

1 Master of Nursing Student, Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
2 Instructor, Faculty Member, Nursing Care Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Nursing Care Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
4 Assistant Professor, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
*Corresponding Author: *Corresponding Author: Abbas Shamsalinia, Associate Professor, Nursing Care Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. Email: , Email: abbasshamsalinia@ yahoo.com

Abstract

Background and aims: Decreased physical functioning and increased risk of fall are among the most common age-related problems among elderly people. This study aimed at assessing the effects of tai chi exercise on gait speed (GS) and fall rate among a group of elderly women in Iran.

Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2018. Participants were sixty elderly women purposefully selected from comprehensive healthcare centers in Lahijan, Iran, and randomly assigned to an intervention and a control group. Study intervention was Yang-style tai chi exercise implemented in two group sessions per week for twelve consecutive weeks. GS was assessed before and after the intervention using the short physical performance battery and fall rate was assessed using a researcher-made self-report fall assessment checklist. The SPSS program for Windows (v. 18.0) was employed for data analysis at a significance level of less than 0.05.

Results: Between-group differences respecting the pretest and the posttest GS were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Moreover, posttest fall rate in the intervention group was less than the control group.

Conclusion: Tai chi exercise is effective in increasing GS and reducing fall rate among elderly women and is recommended for elderly people.


Cite this article as: Nourbakh Kashki E, Jahanshahi M, Jannat Alipour Z, Shamsalinia A, Haji Ahmadi M. The effect of Tai chi exercise on gait speed and the rate of fall in elderly women. Journal of Multidisciplinary Care. 2021;10(1):14–21. doi: 10.34172/jmdc.2021.04.
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Submitted: 19 Jun 2020
Accepted: 31 Aug 2020
ePublished: 30 Mar 2021
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