© 2012 Nguyen and Kruse, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd. This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, provided the original work is properly cited. Clinical Interventions in Aging 2012:7 185–190 Clinical Interventions in Aging A randomized controlled trial of Tai chi for balance, sleep quality and cognitive performance in elderly Vietnamese Manh Hung Nguyen Andreas Kruse Institute of Gerontology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany Correspondence: Manh Hung Nguyen Institute of Gerontology, Bergheimerstrasse 20, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany Tel +49 6221 548 170 Fax +49 6221 545 961 Email hung.nguyen@gero.uni-heidelberg.de Objective: To evaluate the effects of Tai chi exercise on balance, sleep quality, and cognitive performance in community-dwelling elderly in Vinh city, Vietnam. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Participants: One hundred two subjects were recruited. Intervention: Subjects were divided randomly into two groups. The Tai chi group was assigned 6 months’ Tai chi training. The control group was instructed to maintain their routine daily activities. Outcome measures: The Falls Efficacy Scale (FES), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Trail Making Test (TMT) were used as primary outcome measures. Results: Participants in the Tai chi group reported significant improvement in TMT (part A) (F [1, 71] = 78.37, P , 0.001) and in TMT (part B), (F [1, 71] = 175.00, P , 0.001) in comparison with the control group. Tai chi participants also reported better scores in FES (F [1, 71] = 96.90, P , 0.001) and in PSQI (F [1,71] = 43.69, P = 0.001) than the control group. Conclusion: Tai chi is beneficial to improve balance, sleep quality, and cognitive performance of the elderly. Keywords: Tai chi, sleep, balance Introduction Muscle weakness, impaired gait, and diminished balance are the most significant risk factors for falling. 1 It has been documented that physical activities are based on balance ability; when the perturbation increases and leads to an unstable balance state of the trunk, a fall is more likely. Balance is the ability to maintain the body’s position over its base of support, whether that base is stationary or moving. 2 Previous studies, on the other hand, have shown that poor sleep in older people is related to impaired health status, low levels in physical activities, poor physical functioning, and an increase in chronic diseases. 3,4 Moreover, a review of Angevaren et al 5 concluded that aerobic physical activities that improve cardiorespiratory fitness are beneficial for cognitive function in healthy older adults, with effects observed for motor function, cognitive speed, and auditory and visual attention. However, the majority of comparisons yielded no significant results. Tai chi consists of series of gentle physical activities with element and meditation, body awareness, imagery, and attention to breathing. 6 Furthermore, Tai chi is a low-intensity exercise that provides aerobic benefit 7 and is effective for improving fitness. 8 Tai chi also appears to have physiological and psychological benefits, and to be safe and effective in promoting balance control, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness. 9 Dovepress submit your manuscript | www.dovepress.com Dovepress 185 OrIGINAL rEsEArCH open access to scientific and medical research Open Access Full Text Article http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S32600 Clinical Interventions in Aging downloaded from https://www.dovepress.com/ by 54.161.69.107 on 16-Jun-2020 For personal use only. 1 / 1