• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of Tai Chi exercise program on arthritic pain, difficulties in performing activities of daily living, and fear of falling in women with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Method: A quasi-experimental design with two intervention groups was used. According to the inclusion criteria, 35 women with OA and 22 with RA were recruited and participated in the Tai Chi for arthritis program for 12 weeks. In 12 weeks, 21 in the OA group and 15 in the RA group completed both pretest and posttest measures. Outcome variables consisted of pain, difficulties in performing activities of daily living, and fear of falling for both groups. Results: The women with OA (64 years) were significantly older and perceived better health than those with RA (49 years) with more than 6 years of diagnosis. The pain scores and the performance of activities of daily living were significantly improved in the OA group at the completion of 12 week Tai Chi exercise, but RA group decreased pain only. The improvements in pain and activities of daily living were significantly more in women with OA than those with RA. No significant changes were found in fear of falling for both groups. Conclusion: The 12 week Tai Chi exercise was more effective on pain and activities of daily living for women with OA than those with RA. Considering that the women with RA perceived more pain and had limited activities of daily living, Tai Chi exercise should be applied slowly and gradually for longer period of time than those with OA.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.118-127
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a Tai-Chi exercise program on subjective health and physiological function index. Methods: This study was designed as non-equivalent control group pretestposttest research. Eighteen women in each group completed the posttest with an attendance rate of 78.3 % after 12 weeks. The Tai Chi exercise program was provided two times a week over three months for the experimental group, but no program for the control group. A questionnaire was used for subjective health index, which consisted of Korean-WOMAC Index for joint stiffness, K-HAQ for physical disability, EQ-5D for quality of life and perceived health status, and CES-D for depression. To measure the effect on the physiological function index, femoral muscle strength, shoulder joint and back flexibility were measured. Results: All variables except left anterior femoral muscle strength had significant homogeneity between the two groups. There were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in joint stiffness (t=-2.165, p=.03), physical disability (t=-2.231, p=.038), EQ-5D index (t=3.783, p=.001), perceived health status (t=-2.349, p=.025) and femoral posterior muscle strength (t=2.487, p=.038). Conclusion: The Tai-Chi exercise program was beneficial for women with arthritis in rural communities.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.58-67
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the Tai chi exercise program on the physical function, self-esteem and social behavior in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Methods: This study utilized a nonequivalent control group with pretest-posttest design. The 45 subjects were recruited from a mental health care facility in D city and randomly assigned either to the experimental group (n=23) or to the control group (n=22). The experimental group participated in the Tai chi exercise program, twice a week for 12 weeks. Data were analyzed with SPSSWIN V. 11.5 program, using $X^2$-test and t-test. Results: After 12 weeks, there were significant differences in flexibility (p=.027), balance (p=.011), self-esteem (p=.005) and social behavior (p=.003) between the experimental and the control groups. Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed the positive effects of Tai-Chi exercise program in patients with schizophrenia. Further studies are required to determine the effects on physical and social variables.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.155-165
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• 2005

Arthritis is one of the most common chronic degenerative joint disease in elderly. Osteoarthritis is a widespread, slowly developing disease, with a high prevalence increasing with age in women. The large joints mostly involved by the disease are the knees. But there are no treatments available that cure the underlying process of osteoarthritis diseases. Physical exercise helps in increasing cartilage nutrition and remodeling, increases the synovial blood flow, decrease swelling, and improves muscle strength. Thus, exercise has been suggested as an important nursing strategy in osteoarthritis. Purpose: The purpose of this study were to compare muscle strength between Tai-Chi exercise and aquatic exercise for women with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: A quasi-experimental study with pretest and posttest measures was used. The study subjects were those who had been enrolled in a community health center, and agreed to participate in the study for eight weeks, signed the consent form, and obtained the physicians approval. The study dropout rates were 13.2% with the final study subjects of 17 on Tai-Chi exercise, 16 on aquatic exercise program. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS for Window (version 12.0). Independent sample t-test and paired t-test was performed to compare of muscle strength for women with osteoarthritis after 8-week Tai-Chi exercise and aquatic Exercise. Results: The homogeneity tests of demographic characteristics and study variables at the pretest data revealed no significant differences between two groups. After 8-week Tai-Chi and aquatic exercise, there was significant result in pre-post test comparison on muscle strength on Tai-Chi group, but no significant in aquatic group. There were no significant differences of knee extensor (p=.078), and hand grip(p=.118) in group comparisons on muscle strengths. But there were significant differences of knee flexor(p=.024). Conclusion: Tai-chi exercise was effective in improving knee flexor. So, it seems that Tai-chi exercise may be more suitable for aquatic exercise in osteoarthritis exercise programs. Further studies with other comparisons in physical and psycho social outcomes are necessary to confirm the more effects of exercise.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the effect of 12-week Tai Chi exercise on glucose control, peripheral nerve modulation, and perceived health for Type 2 diabetic patients with neuropathy. Methods: A pretest posttest design with a nonequivalent control group, 44 diabetic patients with neuropathy were recruited from an outpatient clinic of a university hospital and assigned into Tai Chi or Control groups. The Tai Chi exercise was based on Tai Chi for Diabetes program developed by Lam (2006) and performed one hour for each session twice a week for 12 weeks. Outcome variables were HbA1c, Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument scores and perceived health. A total of 25 patients completed both measures of pretest and posttest. Results: The study participants were 67 years old in average, diagnosed by DM for more than 15 years. Those who participated in 12-week Tai Chi exercise (n=13) significantly improved in HbA1c (t=2.23, p=.035) and perceived health (t=-2.28, p=.032) than the control group (n=12). Conclusion: Tai Chi exercise may improve glucose control and health status in patients with Type II diabetes. Further study with larger sample size would be necessary to confirm the effect of Tai Chi on peripheral nerve modulation.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.17-30
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• 2012

Objectives : This study was to analyse the reasons for the early termination of our clinical trials that were to know the influences of Tai-chi on non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Methods : We stopped the primary study of Tai-chi to observe the changes of non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. So we carried out the survey to our participants of clinical trials. We conducted the survey about the patient's characteristics of usual exercise, experience of Tai-chi, appropriate time allocation, difficulties of proceeding the program and patient's opinion for the improvement of education. And the 4 questions about the contributiveness of Tai-chi for the Parkinson's disease, usability of supplied references, difficulties and time allocation of education were using the questionaries form of 5-point scale(Likert scale). Results : The results of survey showed that the benefits of Tai-chi program for the improvement of symptoms was $3.15{\pm}0.89$ and difficulty of lecture was $3.76{\pm}1.09$. 41% of participants answered that the motions of the Tai-chi is difficult to follow and 17% of participants felt the imbalance during the motion of Tai-chi. Conclusions : Participants replied that the Tai-chi is hard for the patients of Parkinson's disease and the time for the education was too short to keep doing exercise. Thus we have plan to educate the patients of Parkinson's disease with Tai-chi program consists of easier motion by developing ourselves or searching previous studies.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.389-399
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was done to identify effects of a 12 weeks Tai Chi exercise and education intervention program on HbA1C, sexual function and IL-12 (Interleukin 12), IL-4 (Interleukin 4), TNF-${\alpha}$ (Tumor Necrosis Factor) for women with type 2 diabetes. Methods: The study had a nonequivalent control group pretest posttest design. The participants were 64 women with diabetes recruited from an outpatient clinic of a university hospital. The Tai Chi exercise and education intervention program was provided twice a week for 12 weeks for the 32 women in the experimental group. The 32 women in the control group were maintained on basic outpatient treatment. Outcome variables were HbA1C, sexual dysfunction scores, IL-4, IL-12 and TNF-${\alpha}$. Results: The experimental group showed significantly improved HbA1C (F=3.10, p=.004), and sexual function (F=3.78, p=.001) compared to the control group. Also for the experimental group TNF-${\alpha}$ (F=-2.69, p=.004) significantly increased compared to the control group. Conclusion: Results indicate that a Tai Chi exercise and education intervention program can be utilized effectively for women with type 2 diabetes.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.103-112
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a program of Tai Chi and auricular acupressure in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: The study design was a one-group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 14 outpatients with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis based on the American College of Rheumatology Standards. The setting was a Academic Section of Musculoskeletal Disease in the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine in United Kingdom. The program was Tai Chi exercise with auricular acupressure per two times a week, for twelve weeks. Results: A program of Tai Chi with auricular acupressure showed significant improvements in amount of pain of RADAI, 28 Joint count swollen, fatigue, physical, affect and symptom of AIMS2, function and symptom of ASES (p<0.05). However, no differences were found in the score of self-efficacy relate to the pain, and quality of healthy related life to social interaction. Conclusion: In order to improve the quality of healthy related life and self-efficacy relate to the pain, it requires long-term intervention. Also different research designs are needed to confirm the effect of this study.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was to examine the effects of 12-week Tai Chi exercise on the autonomic nervous system activity and risk factors of metabolic syndrome in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods: A single group pre-posttest was used. Subjects were 16 participants aged 51~71 years with metabolic syndrome. All of the subjects were met the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III). The Tai Chi exercise consisted of 19 movements from Yang and Sun styles provided twice a week for 3 months. Metabolic syndrome risk factors including waist circumference, blood pressure, glucose, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) were measured. A heart rate variability device was used to measure the activity of autonomic nervous system. Results: After 12-week Tai Chi exercise, systolic pressure, waist circumference, and HDL-cholesterol improved significantly. Tai Chi exercise had no effect on the autonomic nervous system activity. Conclusion: The 12-week Tai Chi exercise was partially effective in managing risk factors of metabolic syndrome. A larger study with longer period to improve the autonomic nervous system activity in patients with metabolic syndrome is needed.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of 12 weeks of Tai Chi exercise on physical function, stress and depression in middle aged women with osteoarthritis. Method: The research design was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Forty two participants were assigned to either the experimental group (21) or control group (21). Frequency, percentages, mean, standard deviations, $X^2$-test, Wilcoxon rank sum test and repeated measured ANOVA with SPSS 12.0/PC program were used to analyzed the collected data. Results: For physical function the physical fitness of the experimental group improved significantly more than the control group: Leg strength, balance, flexibility and grip strength. Difficulty of performing activity had a tendency of decrease. Stress showed a tendency of as time passed but the decrease was not significant. Depression decreased and the change was significant. Conclusion: The Tai Chi exercise was effective in improving physical function and reducing the stress and depression of middle aged women with osteoarthritis. Therefore the Tai Chi exercise could be used as a nursing intervention for osteoarthritis in middle aged women.