-That's why Chinese elderly are so nimble.
Older subjects who regularly practise Tai Chi found to have better arterial Compliance and Greater Muscle Strength...
Science Daily (press release)
Exercise which can achieve both cardiovascular function and muscle strength "would be a preferred mode of training for older persons," say investigators. Experienced practitioners of Tai Chi, the traditional Chinese mind-body exercise now enjoyed worldwide, have been shown in a study of older subjects to have improved expansion and contraction of arteries according to cardiac pulsation (arterial compliance) and improved knee muscle strength.
The findings, say the investigators, of better muscle strength without jeopardising arterial compliance suggest that Tai Chi may well be a suitable exercise for older people to improve both cardiovascular function and body strength. A number of studies, they explain, have shown that strength training to improve muscle function and offset the effects of aging have also been accompanied by a decline in arterial compliance. "Evidence that strength training could change arterial compliance in middle-aged and older subjects is still elusive," they note.
And more articles about TaiChi from Science Daily:
Tai Chi Exercise Reduces Knee Osteoarthritis Pain In The Elderly, Research Shows (Oct. 29, 2009) — Researchers have determined that patients over 65 years of age with knee osteoarthritis who engage in regular Tai Chi exercise improve physical function and experience less pain. Tai Chi is a ... > read more
Drug-Free Treatments Offer Hope For Older People In Pain (Sep. 10, 2007) — Mind-body therapies, which focus on the interactions between the mind, body and behavior, and the ways in which emotional, mental, social and behavioral factors can affect health, may be of ... > read more
Tai Chi Improves Pain In Arthritis Sufferers (June 1, 2009) — The results of a new analysis have provided good evidence to suggest that tai chi is beneficial for arthritis. Specifically, it was shown to decrease pain with trends towards improving overall ... > read more
Tai Chi Appears to Benefit Quality of Life for Patients With Chronic Heart Failure, Study Finds (Apr. 25, 2011) — Tai chi exercise appears to be associated with improved quality of life, mood and exercise self-efficacy in patients with chronic heart failure, according to a new ... > read more
Tai Chi Benefits For Arthritis Shown (June 16, 2009) — Tai chi has been found to have positive health benefits for musculoskeletal pain. The results of the first comprehensive analysis of tai chi suggest that it produces positive effects for improving ... > read more
