Therapeutic Tai Chi for the Functional Fitness of Patients with Parkinson Disease
November 21, 2016 - A Korean study investigated the effects of therapeutic Tai Chi (TTC) on the functional fitness status and activities of daily living (ADL) of patients with Parkinson disease (PD). The participants were clinically stable PDs in Hoehn and Yahr stage 1-2. Eleven of the patients were randomly assigned to the TTC group while the other 9 to the control group.
The TTC group exercised at the clinic 2 times a week and performed home-based activity 1 time per week for 12 weeks. All the PDs were evaluated for functional fitness test and ADL screen before and after the 12-week trial. There was a significant Time x group interaction effect on the arm curl, functional reach, and stand on foot with eyes opened of the functional fitness as compared to the control group.
The results of the functional reach test in the control group worsened significantly during the 12-week intervention in comparison with those of the TTC group. Also ADL showed significant changed in the TCC group. Tai Chi training showed good effects on the functional fitness in PDs. This study suggests that further research into the based such as Tai Chi intervention must be developed PD's quality of life in the future.