22 février, 2005 05:42
Thanks to Gina for sending the following article...Myrl
Older Women Take to Tai Chi for Exercise: Study
Reuters Health
By Amy Norton
Friday, February 18, 2005
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The gentle, flowing movements of tai chi may offer older women an exercise program they can live with, researchers said Friday.
In a study of 27 older Chinese women with risk factors for heart disease, researchers found that all but one woman completed their 12-week tai chi program -- a completion rate not usually seen in similar exercise studies.
Tai chi is an ancient Chinese practice that focuses on building strength, balance and flexibility through slow, fluid movements combined with mental imagery and deep breathing. Studies have suggested that the elderly can reduce their risk of falls, lower their blood pressure and ease arthritis symptoms through the practice, and some research indicates tai chi can improve heart and blood vessel function in both healthy people and those with heart conditions.
Tai chi can be as intense a workout for the heart as brisk walking -- a form of exercise commonly advocated for older adults -- and could serve as an alternative to the treadmill, according to Ruth E. Taylor-Piliae, a doctoral candidate at the University of California San Francisco and co-author of the new study.
The rate of satisfaction with the tai chi program in this study was "very high,"
