Zeitschrift für neuartige Physiotherapien

Abstrakt

Effects of Yang Style Tai Chi Exercises Combined with Mental Imagery Training on Balance and Fall Prevention in Elderly

Farah Naqvi, Misbah Ghous, Saira Jahn

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of Yang style Tai Chi exercises combined with mental imagery training on balance and fall prevention in the elderly.

Methodology: It was a Randomized control trial, done on sixty patients. Participants were randomly assigned to either experimental group (63.94 ± 2.4 years) receiving motor imagery training with Tai Chi exercises while the control group (63.51 ± 2.7 years) performed only Tai Chi exercises for 8 weeks. Berg balance scale (BBS), Timed Up & Go test (TUG) mental imagery questionnaire-revised (MIQ-RS) and fall efficacy scale (FES) was used to evaluate the outcomes at baseline, 4th week and after 8th week of training.

Results: The results showed that 38(63.3%) were males and 22 (36.6%) were females. BBS, TUG test, MIQ-RS, and FES showed significant (p<0.001) improvement within-group analysis, whereas between-group analysis showed non-significant improvement (p>0.001) on all outcome measures except mental imagery questionnaire which showed significant difference post-intervention in both groups.

Conclusion: It is concluded that there was no significant difference between the groups while within-group significant difference was observed which showed that both techniques have equal effects on balance and fall prevention in the elderly.