Tai chi chuan (just Tai Chi for short), is a martial art and mindfulness-based movement exercise, celebrated for its gentle movements and meditative qualities, has long been lauded for its potential to enhance functional mobility and balance in older adults.

A team of scientists meticulously analyzed data from twelve studies involving a staggering 2,901 participants putting Tai Chi against more traditional exercise regimens to determine the more effective exercise to improve mobility and balance in older adults.

The results offered compelling evidence in favor of Tai Chi where participants who practiced Tai Chi showed remarkable improvements across a range of performance tests compared to those engaging in conventional exercises:

• the time to complete 50-foot walking was 1.84 seconds faster
• Time maintaining one-leg standing was 6 seconds longer with eyes open and 1.65 seconds longer when eyes were closed.
• quicker standing, walking, and sitting in the timed-up-and-go test

These gains were achieved in Tai Chi sessions lasting less than 20 weeks, less than 24 hours total, and using the Yang-style technique.

This study offered compelling evidence of the transformative power of Tai Chi as a potent tool for maintaining mobility and balance as we age.

However, it is important to not wait till old age to start the practice as the more time you spent in your youth developing such skills, lead to more rewarding outcomes later in life.

The study was published in Frontiers in Public Health.

Y Li et al. The comparison between effects of Taichi and conventional exercise on functional mobility and balance in healthy older adults: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health (2024). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1281144