BIOMECHANICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TAI-CHI PRACTICING AND ACTIVE ELDERLY DURING THE STAIR-TO-FLOOR TRANSITION

Authors

Yu-An Chang, National Taiwan Normal University, TaipeiFollow
Tzu-Hsiang Yang, National Taiwan Normal University, TaipeiFollow
Chenfu Huang, National Taiwan Normal UniversityFollow

Category

Growth and aging

Document Type

Paper

Abstract

Long-term Tai-Chi practitioners tend to have similar movement to healthy adults and exhibit movement strategies that reduce fall risk during stair-to-floor transition. We aimed to assess the differences during stair descent to ground in Tai-Chi elderly practitioners and active elderly. Fourteen regular Tai-Chi practitioners and fourteen active elderly participated. Whole-body kinematics and ground reaction forces (GRFs) were recorded synchronously by using motion analysis and a force platform. A t-test was used to test the differences between the groups. Both descent and forward walking step length and center of mass (COM) velocity, both horizontal braking and propulsive force and impulse, ankle range of motion (ROM) and total work in the sagittal plane, and maximum hip moment in the frontal plane had significant differences. Our results appear to support the benefits of long-term Tai-Chi training during the stair-to-floor transition.

Recommended Citation

Chang, Yu-An; Yang, Tzu-Hsiang; and Huang, Chenfu (2020) "BIOMECHANICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TAI-CHI PRACTICING AND ACTIVE ELDERLY DURING THE STAIR-TO-FLOOR TRANSITION," ISBS Proceedings Archive: Vol. 38: Iss. 1, Article 133.
Available at: https://commons.nmu.edu/isbs/vol38/iss1/133