• Journal of muscle and joint health
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.119-129
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of Tai Chi exercise program on pain, fatigue, depression, self-efficacy, and quality of life in elderly women. Method: A quasi-experimental design, a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest was the method of this study. Elderly women who agreed to participate in the study were conveniently placed into an experimental group (n=33) or an control group (n=34). The experimental group participated in Tai Chi exercise program, which was held for 60 minutes per session and 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Tai Chi exercise program consisted of a 10 minute warm-up, a 45 minute main session, and a 5 minute cooling down. In order to evaluate the effects of Tai Chi exercise program, pain, fatigue, depression, self-efficacy, and quality of life were measured with a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, t- test, and ANCOVA by SPSS WIN 13.0 program. Results: Compared with the control group, the experimental group reported higher level of quality of life (F=7.67, p=.007) and self-efficacy (F=20.9, p=.000) and lower level of pain (F=10.93, p= .002), fatigue (F=6.28, p=.015), and depression (F=10.02, p=.002). Conclusions: This study suggests that Tai Chi exercise program may be one of the effective nursing interventions for elderly women.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.11-18
• /
• 2008

Purpose: This study was to determine whether the Sun-style 24 forms of Tai Chi exercise improve pain, stiffness, disability, knee joint motion, mobility, balance or falling. Method: Forty-six community-dwelling elderly subjects (mean age, $75.46{\pm}6.28$) voluntarily participated in an intervention group of either 24 forms of Sun-style T ai Chi for 60 min, 2 times per week for 12 weeks or a control group. A non-equivalent pretest-posttest design was used. Independent t-test and ANCOVA were used to examine group differences by using SPSS12.0. Result: The experimental group had significantly less pain (F=7.60, p=.008) and stiffness (t=-3.19, p=.003) than the control group. Also there were significant improvements in knee joint motion on the right knee (t=2.44, p=.019), left knee (t=2.30, p=.026), rising time (F=8.03, p=.07), balance on the left single leg test (t=2.20, p=.033), and fear of falling (t=-2.33, p=.024) in the Tai Chi exercise group. No significant group differences were found in disability and falls efficacy. Conclusion: The Sun-style 24 forms Tai Chi exercise is effective in decreasing pain, stiffness, fear of falling and it improves balance, rising time, and knee joint motion. We suggest a continuing long term intervention to decrease disability and increase efficacy concerning falls.

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

• Journal of muscle and joint health
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.132-142
• /
• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of Tai Chi exercise on Cardiorespiratory function and to identify directions for future research. Method: 19 articles from Medline search of english journals(1981-2004) and 2 from Korean nursing journals were surveyed. The contents analysis were focused on outcome measures and relative factors regarding cardiopulmonary function. Results: There are 21 articles including 8 articles with quasi experimental design, 7 articles with randomized controlled design and 6 articles with comparative non experimental research design. The major subjects of research were older adults, but hypertensive patients, cardiac rehabilitative patient, and osteoarthritic patient also included. The major style of Tai Chi was Yang style with 108-form. The duration of Tai Chi exercise was from 12weeks to 13.2 years in comparative non experimental studies, but 6 weeks to 16weeks in randomized controlled experimental studies. The most effective duration for cardiopulmonary function was over 16weeks. The variables for cardiopulmonary function were blood pressure, heart rate and cardiopulmonary function via $VO_2$ max(ml/kg/min). To reduce the blood pressure in the result was found in 2 articles, to reduce the heart beat was found in 1 article, to improve the cardiopulmonary function via $VO_2$ max in results were found in 7 articles(73%) among 11 articles. Conclusion: The Tai Chi exercise over 16weeks improves the cardiopulmonary function. It is suggested that to verify the effect of Tai Chi on cardiopulmonary function, the difference of gender, age, health status will be identified through repeated experiments.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.136-144
• /
• 2009

Purpose: Natural menopause resulting in the decline in endogenous estrogen concentrations is responsible for an increased risk of coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of a 6-month Tai Chi exercise program on cardiovascular risk factors and quality of life in post-menopausal women. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest measures was used. The participants in the study, 29 women in the Tai Chi group and 31 in the control group, were enrolled for 6 months. Results: After 6 months of Tai Chi exercise, total cholesterol (M=213 to 185), LDL-cholesterol (M=135 to 128), and their 10 yr cardiovascular disease risk (M=2.62 to 2.27) had improved significantly for the Tai Chi participants compared to the control group. Total scores for quality of life along with the sub-dimensions of health perception and mental functioning were also significantly higher in the Tai Chi participants. Conclusion: Tai Chi exercise favorably affected cardiovascular health and quality of life in post-menopausal women after 6 months. Additional rigorous studies are needed to examine long term effects on the prevention of cardiovascular disease in this population.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.537-547
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The study aimed to apply Tai Chi exercise to patients with coronary artery disease for 6 months, and to examine changes on body composition, physical strength, and cardiovascular risks. Methods: Applying a quasi experimental design with a nonequivalent control group, 90 subjects with cardiovascular disease were recruited at C university hospital. For 6 months, 44 subjects performed Tai Chi exercise once a week and daily home exercise, while 46 subjects did not. Body composition was assessed by body mass index, % body fat, and waist-hip ratio; physical strength by balance, mobility, flexibility, grip strength, and back muscle strength; and cardiovascular risk checklist for fixed and modifiable risk factors. Data were analyzed by SPSS/WIN program with ANCOVA to consider group differences at the pretest. Results: The subjects were 66 years old in average. In 6 months, Tai Chi group improved significantly in balance, mobility, and flexibility with decreased modifiable cardiovascular risks after adjusting for the pretest scores. Conclusion: Tai Chi exercise was safely applicable to individuals with coronary artery disease, and effective in some measures of physical strength and modifiable cardiovascular risks. It could be an alternative exercise for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program in this population.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.105-112
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Tai Chi exercise on muscle strength, balance, flexibility and bone mineral density among community dwelling elderly women. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a nonequivalent comparison group was utilized, Elderly women were recruited from the community settings and assigned to either the treatment group (n=30) or the comparison group (n=34). Both groups completed the pretest and the posttest measures at six months with an 29.7% of dropouts. Tai Chi exercise was performed for 60 minutes, three times a week for 24 weeks. The study participants were referred to the sports clinic of the university hospital where an exercise therapist and a technician measured muscle strength, balance, flexibility, and bone mineral density without the knowledge of the group assignment. Data were collected from June 14, 2010 to May 27, 2011. Results: At the completion of 6 month Tai Chi exercise, the experimental group showed a significant difference in knee flexor strength (t=3.26 p=.002), flexibility (t=-2.93, p=.005), and bone mineral density in femur (t=2.20, p=.032), compared to the control group. Conclusion: Tai Chi exercise could be performed safely to community dwelling elderly women and effective for preventing declining in physical function in this population. Whether or not this health benefits would lead fall prevention will require further study.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.69-80
• /
• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyse the effects of Tai Chi on the muscle strength and flexibility. Method: 10 articles from Medline search of foreign journals(1981-2003) and 4 from Korean nursing journals (1981-2003) were surveyed. The research are analyzed according to research design, subjects, and dependent variables. Results: Research on Tai Chi Exercise increased rapidly in the 1990's. The experimental research design was more reported than the comparative design. The experimental design included; 21.4% one group pre-posttest design, 35.7% quasi-experimental design and 28.6% randomized design. Out of the subjects; 64.4% of papers were healthy older people, and 35.6% of papers were patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Style of Tai Chi was mostly used Yang or Sun form. Muscle strength was usually measured at lower extremity or grip strength. Classical Yang style or Long form was more effective to improve muscle strength. 75% of papers were significantly improvement in grip strength and 71.4% of papers in flexibility. Conclusion: To properly study the positive effects of Tai Chi exercise, it is suggested that meta analysis needs to be done to integrate the various results.

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

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.101-113
• /
• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to systematically analyze the effect of Tai Chi as therapeutic exercise on depressing blood pressure. Methods : We reviewed articles published in the PubMed, Chinese Academic Journals(CAJ) and five Korean databases. The searching keywords were "Tai chi AND blood pressure" and "Tai chi AND hypertension". We evaluated the quality with Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results : In the 114 articles searched, 7 randomized controlled clinical trials were selected. Yang(楊) style Tai chi, exercising over 30 minutes a time and over three times a week, had an effect on decreasing blood pressure. However, Wu(吳) style Tai chi was not effective in decreasing blood pressure. Conclusions : Usual exercises for hypertension patients should be performed in the form of moderate exercises intensity for 10-26 weeks by 30-60 minute a time, over 3 times a week. The study of Tai Chi on blood pressure needs to follow this criteria in the future.