Does tai chi help balance in seniors?
It looks likely. The NIH's center for complementary health says tai chi may help balance and falls in older adults. A 2019 Cochrane review found tai chi may lower the rate of falls by 19% (low-certainty evidence) and the number of people who fall by 20% (high-certainty evidence), against activities not expected to reduce falls.
What the sources say
Tai chi may be beneficial in improving balance and reducing falls in older adults.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH), Tai Chi: What You Need To Know
Tai chi may lower the rate of falls by 19% (7 studies, 2,655 participants, low-certainty evidence), and lowered the number of people who fall by 20% (8 studies, 2,677 participants, high-certainty evidence).
Sherrington et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2019, Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community
Balance and functional exercises, like rising from a chair or stepping up, could lower the rate of falls by 24% (39 studies, 7,920 participants) and the number of people who fall by 13% (37 studies, 8,288 participants), on high-certainty evidence.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH), Tai Chi: What You Need To Know
The length and frequency of tai chi sessions varied among the studies, so these figures do not point to one schedule.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH), Tai Chi: What You Need To Know
Tai chi appears to be safe: a 2019 review of 24 studies (1,794 participants) found adverse events about as often as with another activity or none.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH), Tai Chi: What You Need To Know
Tai chi is one of the National Institute on Aging's balance exercises. Have a sturdy chair, person or wall nearby to hold on to.
National Institute on Aging (NIH), Three Types of Exercise
The numbers, worked out
| Week | Tai chi moves | Minutes a week |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1: Root | Tai chi opening, Tai chi step, Closing form, Wave hands like clouds, Embrace the tree | 24 min |
| Week 2: Flow | Tai chi opening, Part the horse's mane, Closing form, Brush the knee, Wave hands like clouds | 22 min |
| Week 3: Breathe | Tai chi opening, Wave hands like clouds, Part the horse's mane, Closing form, Tai chi step, Brush the knee | 16 min |
| Week 4: Own it | Tai chi opening, Wave hands like clouds, Part the horse's mane, Brush the knee, Closing form | 32 min |
Counted from the plan's own days: the time its sessions give their tai chi moves.
What to do with it
- Keep a wall, a counter or a sturdy chair in reach while you learn the moves.
- Go slowly. The National Institute on Aging describes tai chi as shifting the body slowly, gently and precisely.
- Pair it with everyday balance work like rising from a chair, which has its own numbers above.
Try tai chi at home with a 28-day walking plan
Short daily sessions at home, a step harder as you get stronger.
Stop if anything hurts, or if you feel dizzy, short of breath or chest pressure.
General information, not medical advice.