By Shelagh McNally for Back1 "I've fallen... and I can't get up!" This well-known punch line is actually a major fear for older Americans. And their worries about injury as a result of falling are not unfounded. Hip fractures alone have increased by 80,000 since 1996 and according to the Centers for Disease Control, 33 percent of Americans over 65 have at least one serious fall each year. Since healing takes longer due to conditions like osteoporosis, arthritis and weak cardiopulmonary systems, prevention may be the best medicine. A new exercise program based on traditional Chinese medicine is hoping to help older Americans improve their strength and balance so they can prevent nasty falls.
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Tips on getting started in T’ai Chi:
Learn from a teacher who is properly trained who can make sure you are doing the movements correctly. T’ai chi from a video or book is not recommended.
Warm up and cool down after each class.
Modify any movements as needed.
Be sure to tell your instructor if you are experiencing any pain.
Stop if your joints hurt.
Don’t push yourself. T’ai Chi should be relaxing.
Try to practice at least five minutes per day.
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Recently the University of Missouri-Columbia began offering a specialized form of T’ai Chi (pronounced "tie chee") to elderly patients. The T’ai Chi Fundamentals program (TCF) takes this centuries-old martial arts exercise and transforms it into a useful tool for the elderly. “It's a simplified version of T’ai Chi," said Dr. Sandra Matsuda, an assistant professor of occupational therapy at the University of Missouri-Columbia and one of the few certified TCF instructors. Developed by Tricia Yu, a certified T'ai Chi Instructor and Jill Johnson, a physical therapist, TCF focuses on the fundamental patterns of T’ai Chi. This basic, scaled-down version is suitable for people with arthritis, lower back pain, knee replacements and Parkinson’s disease. “Most exercise programs focus on exertion or vigorous, fast movements to achieve increased strength and endurance,” said Sandy Matsuda, “We don’t tighten muscles, we relax them. We never go to extremes with movements because it is at the extreme where we are more likely to injure ourselves.” In the March 2005 issue of the Rehab Management Journal, Matsuda and Yu described how many rehabilitation therapists are using TCF to help their elderly patients.
Medical research has proven T’ai Chi enhances immune function, reduces stress, anxiety and eases arthritic joint pain while lowering blood pressure. According to research conducted by the Oregon Research Institute and published in the December 2004 issue of Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise, it also reduced falls in seniors 70 years or older. “T’ai Chi, as a balance-enhancing exercise, has received considerable attention in the exercise and fall-prevention literature,” wrote Fuzhong Li, PhD, the lead researcher.
This gentle exercise, derived from martial arts, is composed of slow, deliberate movements combined with meditation and deep breathing. It increases strength and balance and this newest version offers a moderate way for frail elderly adults to keep moving, provides a boost in self-confidence that can help alleviate fear of falling.
“A fall to an older person can be devastating,” Matsuda said. “This offers a way to be confident in your movement. T’ai Chi puts an emphasis on balance and being aware of your center of gravity. A key principal of T’ai Chi is being aware of where your body is in the present moment. You actually have more control over your body if you can move mindfully and slowly.”
TCF is now being taught to occupational therapy students at MU for use in nursing homes and as a pain management program. Matsuda and her colleagues are hoping to see TCF offered free at community senior centers. "It's the regular practice of T’ai Chi that makes it beneficial," said Matsuda.
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