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Efficacy of Tai Chi and Roliball Exercise on Balance, Mobility, and Cognitive Function in Community-Dwelling Older
Yikun Yang1,2, Enjing Li1,2, Yugui Hua1,2
1School of Physical Education and Sports, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China.
Objective:
Falls are a major public health concern for older adults, and exercise is considered a key strategy for fall prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a novel combined intervention of Basic Tai Chi and Roliball on balance, mobility, and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults, and to compare its effects with traditional Tai Chi programs, thereby providing a novel structured physical activity approach for localized fall prevention and control.
Patients And Methods:
One hundred and thirty-five participants aged ≥60 years were divided equally into structured Basic Tai Chi combined with Roliball demonstration (TC+RB-D), Basic Taichi Chuan (TC) and 24-from simplified Tai Chi (24-TC). During the 12-week intervention period, participants attended three in-person sessions per week (90 minutes/session). All measures were assessed before and after the intervention.
Results:
Compared with the 24-form Tai Chi group, the TC group and TC+RB-D group showed significant improvements in GS, TUG, BBS, and MoCA. The TC+RB-D group showed significant improvement on the mFES (β=0.463, 95% CI: 0.366-0.561, p<0.001). The TC group demonstrated a unique advantage on the EC-SLS (β = 2.705, 95% CI: 0.989-4.421, p = 0.002). The TC+RB-D group was not inferior to the traditional 24-form simplified Tai Chi in functional fall risk testing and cognitive function assessment.
Conclusion:
This study developed a structured physical activity program rooted in Tai Chi culture. This multimodal exercise approach may have significant benefits for older adults in maintaining balance, enhancing mobility, and preserving cognitive function.
