Sitting Tai Chi Improves the Balance Control and Muscle Strength of Community-Dwelling Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries: A Pilot Study

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015 · DOI: 10.1155/2015/523852 · Published: December 29, 2015

Spinal Cord Injury Alternative Medicine Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This study investigates whether sitting Tai Chi can improve muscle strength, balance, and quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI). People with SCI often have trouble with sitting balance, which affects their daily activities. The study involved participants doing sitting Tai Chi for 12 weeks and compared them to a control group. The Tai Chi group showed improvements in balance and hand strength, but not in quality of life. The findings suggest that sitting Tai Chi could be a useful exercise for people with SCI to improve their physical abilities. It is a safe and simple method of exercise that can be performed at home.

Study Duration

12 weeks

Participants

19 wheelchair users with SCI (11 Tai Chi, 8 control)

Evidence Level

Pilot Study

Key Findings

1
Tai Chi practitioners showed significant improvements in reaction time, maximum excursion, and directional control in the limits of stability test after the training.
2
Participants in the Tai Chi group significantly improved their total time to sequentially hit the 12 targets in the sequential weight shifting test.
3
Significant improvement in handgrip strength was also found among the Tai Chi practitioners after the intervention.

Research Summary

This study explored the effects of sitting Tai Chi on muscle strength, sitting balance, and QOL in people with SCI. The results showed that twelve weeks of sitting Tai Chi training could improve the dynamic sitting balance and handgrip strength of SCI survivors. No significant improvement was observed in the quality of life (QOL) of the participants after the Tai Chi intervention.

Practical Implications

Rehabilitation Program Design

Sitting Tai Chi can be incorporated into rehabilitation programs for individuals with SCI to improve balance and strength.

Community Exercise

Sitting Tai Chi offers a safe and accessible exercise option for community-dwelling individuals with SCI to maintain or improve their physical function.

Further Research

Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to verify the effectiveness of sitting Tai Chi on muscle strength, balance control, and QOL in people with SCI.

Study Limitations

1
The participants were heterogeneous in terms of age and gender, injury level, and time since injury.
2
The small sample size limits generalizability.
3
The participants were not randomly allocated to the Tai Chi or control groups, so experimental bias might have occurred.

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