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Tai Chi’s Effects on Health-Related Fitness of Low-Income Older Adults*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2013

James Manson ,
Paul Ritvo ,
Chris Ardern ,
Patricia Weir ,
Joseph Baker ,
Veronica Jamnik  and
Hala Tamim
James Manson*
Affiliation:
York University
Paul Ritvo
Affiliation:
York University
Chris Ardern
Affiliation:
York University
Patricia Weir
Affiliation:
University of Windsor
Joseph Baker
Affiliation:
York University
Veronica Jamnik
Affiliation:
York University
Hala Tamim
Affiliation:
York University
*
†Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to / La correspondance et les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à: James Manson, M.Sc. York University 341 Bethune College 4700 Keele Street North York, ON M3J 1P3 (jmanson@yorku.ca)
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Abstract

Tai chi (TC) has been shown to positively influence health-related fitness (HRF) of elderly participants by affording them a means to increase musculoskeletal strength. The objective of this study was to examine TC intervention effects on HRF and whether ethnic groups not culturally related to TC experienced a barrier to participation in a community-based program for low-income older adults. Seventy-eight older mixed-ethnicity adults (age 55 and older) who were not culturally affiliated with TC were recruited for this study. HRF measures were taken before and after a 16-week TC program that offered seven sessions per week. Significant improvements were found in upper and lower musculoskeletal fitness and partial curl-ups, with TC being embraced by the participants. These results suggest that TC can be effective for improving HRF and that non-TC culturally related ethnic groups did not experience a barrier to participation in an older low-socioeconomic population sample.

Résumé

On a démontré que le Tai Chi peut influer positivement sur la condition physique liée à la santé (CLPS) des participants âgés, en leur offrant un moyen d’accoître la force musculo-squelettique. L’objectif de cette étude était d’examiner les effets de l’intervention de Tai Chi sur la forme physique, et de découvrir si ethnies culturellement étrangères au Tai Chi constituaient un obstacle à la participation à un programme communautaire pour les aînés à faible revenu. Soixante-dix-huit aînés d’origine mixte (55 ans et plus), qui n’étaient pas culturellement affiliés au Tai Chi, ont été recrutés pour cette étude. Les mesures de la condition liée à la santé ont été prises avant et après un programme de Tai Chi d’une durée de 16 semaines, avec sept séances par semaine. Des améliorations significatives en résultaient dans l’aptitude supérieur et inférieur musculo-squelettique ainsi que dans la flexion partielle parmi ceux qui pratiquaient le Tai Chi. Ces résultats suggèrent que le Tai Chi peut être efficace pour améliorer la CLPS, et que les ethnies non pas liées culturellement au Tai Chi n’éprouviaent pas un obstacle à la participation d’un échantillon de population âgée à un niveau socio-économique faible.

Keywords

vieillissmentagingcommunity dwellingethnicityfitnesslow incometai chi
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 32 , Issue 3 , September 2013 , pp. 270 - 277
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2013 

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Footnotes

*

Funding was provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and Sport Canada Research Initiative.

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